Spain

Costa Brava Spain

TBEX – Costa Brava

TBEX – Costa Brava 1024 712 Keir Alexa

About a year ago I attended my first TBEX, a conference for travel bloggers and travel professionals from around the world. TBEX was held over three days in Lloret De Mar, a small city where you are never too far from long, sandy beaches, and the shining turquoise of the Mediterranean. Lloret De Mar is found just up the coast from Barcelona, in Costa Brava. This part of Spain is known for its Catalonian architecture, where tiny white and yellow houses can be found next to jagged rock cliffs. In the wind you can smell the sweetness of the sea, and if you’re lucky the seafood, for which Costa Brava is well known.

I went to TBEX wanting to learn about travel blogging from industry professionals. But I also wanted to learn about myself. This was going to be my first TBEX, and also my first solo trip in almost five years. I’m not going to lie – I was a bit nervous. It took a leap of faith to go on this trip, but I couldn’t be happier that I did it!

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How I got there: I flew into Barcelona airport, where I had hired a luxury car service _____VIPCARSLUX_____ to drive me to Lloret De Mar. My driver, Guiseppe, was such a good sport. He drove all around the city and took pictures of me. It was a windy day, and at one point the wind caught my hat it flew behind me! I turned to grab it, but before I could Guiseppe began to run after it. He slipped and fell in the ocean – I felt soooo bad! The water must not have bothered him too much though because he sent me an email the next day asking me to look him up next time I visit.

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Where I stayed: I stayed at Alva Park Hotel and Spa. Alva Park is located in a secluded spot by the beach, a short walk from downtown Lloret De Mar.

After checking in and getting my badge for the conference, I called my mom (like I was 12) and told her how nervous I was to be in another country without knowing anyone. She told me to relax and to hang up and say hello to the next person I see. I looked to my right and saw a guy about my age eating pizza. We shook hands and starting talking. It was his first TBEX as well, so as newbies we clicked right away.

Over the next few days I met many more travel bloggers, some newbies and some experts. I loved listening to their stories from around the world.

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What I learned: I had two favorite seminars at TBEX. One was about leveraging my brand beyond my blog, and the other talked about how to make engaging travel videos… something to look out for in the future! 🙂

What I loved: Like high school, TBEX isn’t all about the classes. It’s about the parties too! The first night we were taken on a boat ride to the nearby Santa Christina Beach. There I met some other bloggers, and we all enjoyed the good selection of local beers and wines. There were lots of Spanish tapas to try – and I even learned how to make Spanish tomato toast!

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aFriday night, I went for a walk and ended up at Da Hoff Square, in downtown Lloret. There I found an old retro arcade with bumper cars. The whole place had neon lights, and it felt like a night club with loud house music bumping. I decided to try them out…. and it was so much fun that I had to go back again!

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TBEX was a great learning experience. It gave me the inspiration I needed to focus on my blog. It showed me that there are friends to be made when traveling solo. And it gave me the skills I need to become a better travel blogger.

I am incredibly grateful that I am able to travel the world. My hope with this blog is to share some of the world’s most stunning destinations, and to inspire others to travel.

Thanks to everyone who is fol­lowing my blog. There will be many more posts coming soon!

Travel Blog Spain

Thoughts on Travel and Life

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I recently visited a friend for his 30th birthday party. It was a kick ass weekend full of laughter and swimming, dancing and drinks. Somewhere in the middle of it all, my friend gave a speech. He talked about the power of trying new things and exploring the world around us. The importance of eliminating jealousy from our lives. The importance of living for the moment.

His speech got me thinking about my own life. I just turned 25 and it’s been an amazing journey. But there’s still so far to go, and it got me thinking of a few things:

Life is finite

Life is challenging

Life is beautiful

Life is mysterious

Some people shy away from these realities.

Some people live their lives slowly, as if they’re going to live forever.

Some people choose to be haters, and see the world as an ugly place.

Some people live their whole lives choosing what is safe and easy.

But if you are willing to push the boundaries of who you are and what you know, then anything is possible. As cliché as it sounds, it’s true! A big part of this for me has been travel. Observing the way different people live and visiting exotic corners of the earth. Traveling to far away places helps me reflect on my own life.

Embrace the craziness of this world. Try something you’ve never done before. Chase your fullest dreams and love with the full capacity of your heart.

Take a trip to somewhere unknown.

Try a food you’ve never seen before.

Learn about a culture that is different from your own.

Life can be beautiful and life can be scary, it’s true. But don’t stop dreaming and don’t stop travelling. We only have so long on this earth, and should ask ourselves everyday how we can make the most of the time we have.

As Ferris Bueller says, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”

Ibiza Travel Essentials

My Ibiza Essentials

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Ibiza clubbing season is in full throttle right now! Every year, it kicks off the beginning of May and ends in late September. I landed here on Wednesday saying I was going to take it easy but ended up dancing the night away in through four different clubs. We started off the night by having some delicious, fresh sushi at the popular hotel where we are staying at called the Ibiza Gran. Afterwards, we went to Ushuaia beach club, Pacha, Paris Hilton’s Foam and Diamonds Party, and to top of the night we ended up at DC10. Ibiza is a non stop, won’t stop, party town full of the best house beats any city has to offer! During my epic adventure here, there are a few key essentials that keep me going! If you are going to Ibiza, I highly recommend that you come prepared!
Overall, Ibiza is rather laid back so you can pretty much dress however you like. During the day you can wear a bikini with a cover-up or short works great. At night, if you plan on going to dinner then I would suggest getting a little more dressed up with a nice dress and heels. When you hit the clubs, definitely, take off your heels and put on comfortable tennis shoes.
Some of my Ibiza essentials include:

1. Small purse-something that can go over your shoulder so you can keep it on you while you are dancing.

2. Pocket camera-easy to bring anywhere and can fit inside your small purse. My two favorites are the Canon G16 and Sony RX100.

3. Sunglasses- perfect for day parties or even to wear at the night clubs (Ibiza may be the only place it is okay/cool to wear your sunglasses at night.)

4. Hand Sanitizer- keeps your hands clean.

5. Jing Herbs Restore the Liver supplements- cleanses the liver from drinking alcohol.

6. Chloroxygen- helps build red blood cells as well as staying hydrated.

7. Magnesium- great to take at night to ensure a restful sleep.

8. Ultima Replenisher- an electrolyte powder that helps replenish missing electrolytes.

9. Bathing suit- must need for laying out by the pool, day parties, or taking a boat trip to Formentera for lunch.

10. Converse- comfortable to dance the night away in. If you look at the photo you can see that my Converse are trashed. Wearing tennis shoes is a great way to protect your feet while you are on the dance floor.

11. Dr Schulze’s Cold & Flu Shot- the best herbal formula to avoid getting sick while still partying like a rock star.

12. Zpack – if all else fails, have a Zpack handy and ready to go.

Another great item to bring are hand fans. It can get really hot during the day as well as in the clubs so a hand fan definitely helps cool you down. I also recommend getting IV fluids from VITASQUAD. “Vitasquad is a mobile service that uses intravenous nutritional therapy to deliver vitamins directly into the bloodstream.” It is amazing and helps keep your body healthy and hydrated.

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