Just as I thought life couldn’t get any better…

Last week while preparing for weekend trip up to Sunday River, I received an email from a rep at the board of South Africa Tourism. Inside read the following:

Dear Ryan,

I hope this letter finds you well! I work with South African Tourism in the social media space and we’re working on putting together a social tour of South Africa. We have a trip planned for February and we’re still looking for a few bloggers to fill out the tour. We had so much success with the recent #VisitSouthAfrica tour that we want to continue to drive traffic and buzz around South Africa on Twitter, Facebook and blogs. We feel your work on Pause the Moment could make you a good fit for this tour…

The email went on to explain bits and pieces about the planned itinerary, the proposed dates, and more but I couldn’t seem to focus on the details. I was in total shock.

After taking a five minute breather I came back to the email and read it over again to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Slapping myself in the face a few times certainly didn’t change the message displayed in the email. It was REAL.

I wanted to jump up and down and scream like a school girl but it wasn’t 100% yet. I tried my best to restrain myself from spilling the beans to family and friends but my excitement simply couldn’t be contained. Every time I told the story I would start off with “It’s not 100% but I might be going to South Africa in the coming weeks…”

On Monday afternoon I received the final confirmation email that I had been anxiously waiting for.

I’M GOING TO SOUTH AFRICA!

Dates: February 16th, 2012 – March 1st, 2012. We will be spending two action packed weeks in South Africa!

Note: Pause The Moment was 1 of 4 travel blogs chosen to take part in the ever popular and ongoing #VisitSouthAfrica tourism campaign. The fact that my blog has been chosen to take part in such an epic adventure is not only an honor but also a great accomplishment for me, personally.

None of this would be possible without the support of YOU! Thanks for reading and be sure to subscribe to all of my social media channels in order to get the latest and most up to date information on my adventures in South Africa!

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pausethemoment

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/pausethemoment

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/pausethemoment

SOYJOYUS Tumblr: http://soyjoyus.tumblr.com/

Home away from Home

As soon as I dropped my bags at Hacienda Merida, I knew I would be staying for a while. The overall atmosphere of the hostel was better than any I had experienced through out my travels of Nicaragua. There’s just something about this place that makes you not want to leave.

Could it be that you’re within twenty steps from the edge of Lake Nicaragua? Was it the fact that you could lounge all day in one of the many hammocks hung around the property? How about those Ometepe sunsets? You do know that Hacienda Merida is the number one sunset spot on Ometepe, right?

If you’re not big into sunsets, no problem! There are a multitude of activities for you to get involved in during your stay here including:

• Horseback Riding
• Trek to the San Ramon Waterfall
• Climbing Volcano Maderas
• Visit the Petroglyphs
• Swim in Ojo de Agua
• Kayaking on Lake Nicaragua
• Tubing on Lake Nicaragua and more!

During my stay I took part in two of the aforementioned activities on the island, one of which was Kayaking on Lake Nicaragua!

Kayaking

The Big Yak!

My buddy Ben and I were talking about things to do on the island and he mentioned he had taken a kayak out a few days earlier. The next morning we woke up, grabbed our life jackets and headed for the edge of Lake Nicaragua with our kayaks and paddles in hand.

Ben jumped in the Malibu Two XL while I hopped in the Big Yak! The differences were that Ben’s kayak was actually a double kayak and mine was a single kayak with a wider body. I’m fine with not rolling over and splashing around in Lake Nicaragua as it’s supposedly one of the only lakes in the world that is home to fresh water Bull sharks! In case you didn’t know, Bull sharks are one of the most aggresive sharks in the world. Just an FYI!

As I set off on my trusty Big Yak, I followed along closely behind Ben. Fortunately, Ben was the expert out here on the water today as he had been out kayaking once or twice on Lake Nicaragua during his stay so far. To say he’s the expert is sort of scary, right?

This was officially my second time to ever try kayaking. The first time was back in summer of 2008 when Liz and I did some sea kayaking in Dubrovnik, Croatia and we found it to be a really good time.

At first I was flailing around with my paddle trying to get the hang of paddling evenly and therefore efficiently. The weather was overcast when we set off from Hacienda Merida but by the time we reached our first spot the sky had lit up, the sun was shining and the wind started to really blow.

Monkey Islands!

Yes, real monkeys! Only, these ones WILL attack you! Wait, we all know how unpredictable and overly aggressive monkeys can be, don’t we? My point is, stay as far away as possible from these dirty little creatures!

As we approached the first of two islands that are inhabited solely by two or three spider monkeys. We could see them running and jumping from tree to tree. They heard us coming from a mile away and I’m assuming they were hoping we were bringing them boat loads of food. Not us, and not today my frisky little friends.

Two weeks prior, two women who were inexperienced kayakers set off to visit the monkey islands. Upon arriving the winds started to pick up and eventually blew them in close to the shore. Can you guess what happened next? The monkeys got extremely curious and most likely thought that they might have some food so they jumped from the trees straight on to the two kayaks below and proceeded to maul the poor women. The word is that one of the women had a chunk of her nose bitten off as well as several scratch and bite wounds all over her body.

Here’s a photo of one of the women lying in bed after the attack.

Photo credits: Rob

Moral of the story is, I never got close enough to take any decent photos of these crazy monkeys though I did see them screwing around up in the trees in the distance.

From the first island we made our way over to the second island which is home to more than a few howler monkeys. Have you ever heard a howler monkey before? They are seriously creepy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdnwLX5m3G8

Note: This is not my personal video. Video credits: Vikarius

Rio Istian

After getting our monkey fix we spent some time graciously paddling towards our next destination, the Rio Istian swamp which is home to a wide variety of birds, bats, crocodiles and more howler monkeys!

Along the way we stopped for a few photo ops including this cool shot of me with Volcano Maderas in the distance.

The wind started to really pick up on the lake so small waves started to form. Not fun! Once we were about half to way Rio Istian, Ben encountered some technical difficulties with his paddle. He thought had heard it making a cracking noise. It turns out he was right. After one brisk motion with his paddle in the waves, Ben’s paddle broke in half!

Up sh*t creek without a paddle

He wanted to keep on heading in the direction of Rio Istian but I knew that wasn’t the best idea especially as the wind was getting stronger and stronger by the minute. We spun around and attempted to make it back to Hacienda Merida but after 20 minutes Ben’s arms were spent.

We ended up pulling our kayaks up next to each other and I successfully transferred my gear and myself over into the back of his kayak without falling in.

I handed my paddle to Ben and we headed towards shore while I held on to my kayak let it drag along behind us. By the time we reached the shore Ben was exhausted and rightfully so!

That was enough adventure for one day. Next up, Trekking to San Ramon Waterfalls. Stay tuned!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhFYAGO1fOg

Who doesn’t love a good sunset right? Well, if you’re a sunset aficionado like myself, you’ll LOVE Nicaragua.

The video shown above was taken from the edge of Lake Nicaragua at Hacienda Merida. The camera I used to shoot this video timelapse is my trusty Canon SD96oIS. Absolutely LOVE this camera!

The original footage was 17 minutes long. I sped it up in post production and wound up with a strikingly beautiful one minute sunset timelapse that still makes me drool each and every time I watch it.

For the viewers: Do you love sunsets as much as I do? Where in the world have you witnessed the ultimate sunset?

For the video geeks: What do you use to shoot your timelapses? Also, do you prefer photo or video timelapses?

Leave a comment below!

Are you interested in saving as much money as possible on your next flight? Of course you are! Follow along with me and I’ll tell you which flight search engines you should be using to save the most amount of money on your next big trip.

Truth be told, there’s a skill to finding cheap flights on the internet these days. It’s all about where to look when it comes to finding the best deals. The problem is many people are just simply looking in all the wrong places.

Like a carpenter without tools, you’re useless!

When it comes to finding good deals on flights, you need to be equipped with the right tools. Simply Googling “cheap flights” is only going to result in you clicking on a site that has paid their way to the top of the search engine results. No good!

You need your own personal tool belt and I’m going to help you start building that right now. I’ll be sharing all of my favorite tips and tricks to finding the cheapest flights on the internet. These tips and tricks will now be known as “Tools” as we move along.

Below, you’ll find all of the tools that I currently have in my flight search tool belt and after you check out some of my personal favorites, you can pick and choose which ones you want to add to your belt.

Cheap Flight Search Engines:

Kayak.com is my number one flight search engine for a number of reasons. Not only does Kayak consistently provide me with the best deals, but it also has some really great search features like Buzz, Trends, Flexible Date Search, Price Alerts, and more. Kayak is my go-to flight search engine and it should be yours too!

DoHop.com is best known for it’s “linking” or “joining” of indirect flights. This allows you to find the cheapest flights by flying indirectly. This site is generally for those who have plenty of time on their hands and are willing to sacrifice sitting in an airport for a few hours in order to get the best bang for their buck.

WhichBudget.com is an excellent resource when it comes to searching for cheap flights online. Plug in your dates, departure/destination airports and find out which budget airlines fly your specified route. It’s as easy as that! WhichBudget is 100% FREE to use and there are no commission fees involved if you’re looking to  budget airlines.

Hipmunk.com - What I like most about Hipmunk is that when you search for flights, the results come up in a graph format. The graph results show which airlines that are flying your specified route on the dates that you’ve chosen along with the prices and amount of stops in between. Hipmunk is not something I use too often but I still recommend you check it out before moving on to the other honorable mentions below.

If you’re not finding the deals you’re looking for then be sure to check out the following cheap flight resources:

• Fly.com
• SkyScanner.net
• Mobissimo.com
• FlyTailIt.com
• FareCompare.com

Tips for Saving Money on Flights:

• Sign up for airline newsletters! Log on to your favorite airlines website and sign up for their email list. Every now and then you’ll receive an email with the latest deals. This is great simply for the fact that email newsletter subscribers usually get the news first when specific fares go on sale.
• Sign up for the free frequent flier programs of your favorite airline(s). I, personally, am not a member of any frequent flier programs so I don’t know a lot about how each FF program works. In saying that I know many people who swear by a few particular programs and really get the most for their money. I can recommend a frequent flyer genius to you, his name is Chris Guillebeau. Check him out and be prepared to be amazed.
• Scope out the forums over at FlyerTalk. There is so much incredible information regarding flying, hotels, frequent flier programs, etc over there it’s insane. You can and will be scouring through threads for days if it’s something you’re interested in.

How to Find Cheap Flights Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Modh8ANPsNc

Buenos dias mis amigos!

Have you ever met a stranger who inspired you to do something in your life?

I stayed up later than planned on my first night at Hacienda Merida. Considering I had made the 4 mile trek from Santa Cruz to Merida earlier in the afternoon, I just assumed that I would be hitting the hay early. Then again, you can never assume anything when traveling. Shouldn’t I know this by now?

My first evening in Merida flew by. It was on my way to bed when I met an interesting guy by the name of Ben. I initiated conversation with him as I was passing by on my way to my room. I figured, what the hell? Why not chat him up and ask him where he was riding from? You see, Ben was inspiring to me even before I even met him.

I saw him earlier in the day hanging some clothes on his bicycle that was secured to the railing in front of his room. I knew right from the start that we would share similar interests and that we would connect at some point along the way.

Ben rode his bicycle here.

Ben (Left) and his brother Gabriel

For those who don’t know, a long distance bicycle trip is extremely high on my travel bucket list. Just listening to Ben share his bicycle trip experience with me was lighting a fire inside of me. I instantly had one of those “I’m going to do this one day” moments. It was as if I had always wanted to do it, but never received the confirmation that I COULD actually achieve it. My mind was racing about all of the places that I could ride, how free I would feel while doing so, and how outrageous of a trip it would be.

As I zoned back into reality I was met by Ben’s voice again. He was still talking and I was still trying to focus on listening. We spent an hour or two chatting about home, family, our travels thus far and so much more.

Ben is from Alaska!

Believe it or not Ben’s from Alaska. As a matter of fact he was the first person I have ever met from Alaska on my travels. I refuse to count the wack job that I met briefly back at the hostel in Granada. She was the first person I’ve ever met from Alaska but we chatted for a good five minutes before I realized she was completely out of her mind. I’m talking about the first interesting and potential friend that I’ve met on my travels who was from Alaska.

The Ride:

Ben and his brother Gabriel flew from Alaska to Cancun, Mexico on October 4th, 2011. A few days later they started their epic ride from Cancun down the coast through Belize into Guatemala and on to Honduras. While cycling through Honduras they experienced a riders worst nightmare. Hostile locals!

Ben and Gabriel tried their best to pedal past the hostile Hondurans but each time they squeezed by one scary situation they were then met with another. It got to be so bad that they decided to scrap the original plans of riding down through Honduras and instead found their way to the nearest city where they packed up their bikes and jumped on a bus headed straight for Nicaragua. Once in Nicaragua, Gabriel hopped on a flight and headed back home due to some unexpected costs of the trip. Ben continued pedaling south through Nicaragua and eventually ended up at Hacienda Merida. Ben would be spending the next month in Merida training. For what, you might ask? Try a 100K (62 mi) footrace.

Fuego y Agua 100k (Fire & Water)

Did I mention that Ben is an ultra runner?

An ultra runner is anyone who runs races that are longer than the traditional marathon length of 42K (26 mi). The most common distances are 50 kilometres (31.069 mi), 100 kilometres (62.137 mi), 50 miles (80.467 km) and 100 miles (160.934 km), although many races have other distances. The 100 kilometers is an official IAAF world record event. – Source: Wikipedia

The Fuego y Agua ultramarathon is a 62 mile footrace on the island of Ometepe. The race is full of unimaginable challenges! As if running 62 miles in one day wasn’t enough, right?

The 100k Fuego y Agua course is a single loop circling most of the island and leads runners on difficult ascents and descents of both volcanoes – Source: Fuego y Agua Official Website

That’s right people! Ben will be running this footrace on gravel roads in poor condition and will be traversing up and down both of Ometepe’s volcanoes. What!?

For more information on Fuego y Agua, click here.

When I asked Ben about how long he expects this race to take him, he replied; Ideally, I’d like to finish in less than 13 hours. The Men’s record for this 100K race was set back in 2009 by a guy named Javier Montero from Costa Rica. He finished in a cool 11 hours and 8 minutes.

How did Ben become an Ultramarathon Runner?

I wondered the same thing when I first learned about Ben and his hobby of ultra running. You see, Ben has overcome a seriously troubled past. He spent his younger years living out his 20′s to the fullest, or so he thought. Little did he know that he was making all the wrong moves. Each split in the road that Ben encountered, he traveled in the wrong direction.

He's way over the speed limit...

When all was said and done Ben turned to running as a way to escape his bad habits and reckless lifestyle. It wasn’t until his first few attempts at running footraces back home in Alaska that he realized there was something out there that he was good at. He had so much talent inside of him, he just never knew it.

I ran at least 80 or 90 miles/week. – Ben

After blowing away the rest of the competition in the first few races he entered, Ben continued to train. He wanted to run harder, faster and longer.

There were times that I would drive down to the Skyline Trail bright and early, park my car and practice running up and down it. I even spent some nights sleeping in my car just so I could wake up in the morning and hit the ground running. – Ben

Ben entered the Frosty Bottom 50 Mile race in January 2011. During the race, he got confused and made a wrong turn. He was LOST on the course and it was midway through the race. Ben was no longer the leader of the race anymore. He had to turn around and follow his missteps back to where he made the wrong turn. Regardless of his mistakes, he was still determined to win this race.

On the last leg of the course, Ben did the unthinkable. He passed the pack and crossed in 1st place.

Believe it or not, crossing the finish line in first wasn’t the only highlight of Ben’s big day. His brother Gabriel awaited him at the finish line holding a ring. Once Ben crossed the finish line his brother handed him the ring in which he got down on one knee and proposed to his then girlfriend Michelle. Yes, right there on the finish line!

She said YES!

Just two weeks after winning the Frosty Bottom 50 miler, Ben entered to race the 2011 Little Su 50K in order to defend his title. Would he have it in him to run a 50K just two weeks after running the Frosty Bottom with no real training in between?

Of course he did! Ben ended up winning first place in the Little Su 50K two years in a row. Unbelievable!

As if this story couldn’t get any better, Ben is currently finishing his cycling trip by riding his bike down through Southern Nicaragua into Costa Rica where he’ll meet up with his soon to be bride Michelle!

Ben and Michelle are getting hitched on March 20th, 2012 in Costa Rica!

Congratulations Ben & Michelle, best of luck to the both of you!

—

Note:

I started out writing this post in hopes to share my experiences in Merida but that obviously didn’t happen. Just reliving some of the conversations I had with Ben made my fingers go absolutely ballistic on my keyboard. So much that once I finished I had to go back and change the title from: “Living the Good Life in Merida” to “Inspired by a stranger named Ben“. I literally just typed this story out as if I was writing about my own life. I’m not sure I’ve ever been able to write something that flowed so well and came to me with such ease. There’s a reason for that.

The story behind this stranger named Ben really opened my eyes to a whole bunch of things. Firstly, Ben has proved to both himself and his family that people can change and turn their lives around. Secondly, he has proved to me that literally anything is possible as long as you put your heart and soul into it. Last, but not least, Ben showed me what it was like to meet a total stranger and have it feel like we had been long lost friends who just ran into each other for the first time in years.

It was a pleasure meeting you my friend. I hope to be able to visit you in Alaska one of these days…

Safe travels,

-Ry

photo courtesy of: michaelt

Phuket, Thailand

Phuket is an Island that is located off the coast of Thailand just south west of the coast and directly to the west of Ko Yao. Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and is connected to the mainland by two bridges.

The main source of income for the island is tourism, therefore it offers many popular tourist activities for all to enjoy. With average temperatures in the region ranging from 84-91 degrees year round, how can you go wrong?

Whether you want to visit the typical tourist locations or enjoy other more adventurous activities there is plenty to do. Traveling to the island of Phuket can provide fun for the whole family or a trip filled with adventure. It all depends on what you would like to experience!

Getting there:

Tip: When planning a trip to Phuket make sure to take advantage to the cheap flights to Phuket that are offered by several budget airlines based in Southeast Asia and Australia. The money you save on your flight can be used to enjoy all of the fun filled sights and activities offered on this beautiful Thai island.

Where to Stay:

The first thing to consider is where you are going to stay. There are many hotels to choose from including the West Sands Resort that offers a family friendly waterpark included in your stay.

I, personally, stayed at the Nai Yang beach resort while in Phuket and thoroughly enjoyed my stay.

If you are looking for a more native option to the region that is not targeted towards tourists consider moving to a hotel slightly off the main beach/strip of Phuket.

Unfortunately though, tourists flock to Phuket year-round so you’re going to have a hard time finding your dreamy, peaceful, island getaway.

For more information on places to stay, check out Phuket on Wikitravel.

Things to Do:

Once you are settled in there are many fun filled, action packed adventures to partake in such as Scuba Diving, Hiking to beautiful waterfalls, Bike Tours, Snorkeling, Kite Surfing, Bungee Jumping, Elephant Trekking, Kayaking and more.

• Scuba diving is available at many locations throughout the island and is a popular choice for tourists.
• If you are looking for a relaxing activity visit the regions waterfalls for Phuket’s natural beauty.
• Elephant trekking is an adventurous activity that allows you to tour the region on the back of an elephant. Note: Please research elephant trekking companies before taking a tour as many companies treat their elephants horribly. If you want to spend time with elephants during your trip to Thailand I highly recommend you make it up to Patara Elephant Farm in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
• Bungee jumping is available for the courageous tourists.
• Take an overnight bike tour with a tour guide that will provide you with a different experience allowing you to meet the locals and view scenery off the beaten trail. Note: Again, please research for reputable companies before joining any tour.
• Also, don’t miss out on the wide array of water sports to choose from to enjoy the coasts beautiful crystal clear water.

This article was brought to you in part by StudentFlights.com.au

Bali, Indonesia

Bali is a small Indonesian island that sits in between Java and Lombok. It has a large population of almost four million people which are predominantly Hindu.

This small island is a popular tourist destination due to the many interesting sites, traditional and modern dance and art and fun filled adventurous things to do. Tourism is the primary source of income for this region and is therefore a very important part of this regions daily culture. A trip to Bali promises an interesting and fun filled vacation destination that will not soon be forgotten.

If you are looking for a great deal on a Bali vacation consider checking into the Bali holiday deals that are offered by many travel agencies in your area. These package deals will usually include your flights, hotel or resort, meals, tours and international travel insurance.

Looking for Adventure?

If you are looking for adventure there are plenty of adventurous activities to be found in Bali, including:

1. Scuba Diving

Some of the most popular dive sites in Bali are located in Amed, Nusa Lembongan, West Bali National Park, Gili Selang, and more. Whatever you do, don’t miss the USAT Liberty at Tulamben!

2. Surfing

Like to surf? Head down to the beach in Kuta. You’ll surely find every surfer and their brother, brother in law, sister, aunts, hangin’ ten. If you’re looking to learn how to surf, you won’t need to look far before you’re approached by some gnarly dudes offering to let you rent the surfboards from underneath their arms. They’ll also teach you how to surf for the right price. As usual, haggle and never take the first price. Shop around if you need to, these dudes are everywhere!

3. Dolphin Watching

One of the most popular things to do in Bali is Dolphin watching at sunrise with almost every boat trip spotting multiple dolphins. Dolphin watching can be done in Nusa Dua (all day) and only during sunset/sunrise in Lovina.

4. Mandala Wisata Wanera Wana

The Mandala Wisata Wanera Wana is another popular tourist adventure that allows you to tour the dense jungle, visit holy temples and interact with the long tailed Balinese Macaques who eagerly greet tourists looking for treats.

Warning: As you probably already know, monkeys can be very temperamental. They’re known to attack spontaneously and they will rob you blind! Trust me, I’ve seen it with my own eyes.

Looking for a place to stay near the Monkey Forest? Check out my review of Merthayasa Bungalows.

5. Snorkeling

Snorkeling is a popular choice and can be found at the bounty pontoons where scuba/snorkel gear is readily available to rent. For great snorkeling, check out Nusa Lembongan.

6. Bungee Jumping

Bungee jumping is available in four separate locations around Bali and is for the most adventurous travelers. Make sure you go with a repuatable company like AJ Hackett.

7. Parasailing

Parasailing is available at the beaches of Nusa Dui and many other beaches as well. Parasailing in Bali offers tourists the option to fly above the island while experiencing the beauty of the island from a new perspective.

8. Helicopter Rides

Helicopter rides allow tourist to view Bali’s beauty from above. Prices start at $990 for 30 minutes (4 passengers). Yikes!

9. Camel Riding

Camel riding is an activity that is suitable for adults and children alike. Sure, camels are disgusting but maybe you’ll enjoy the view from the hump?

10. Hiking/Climbing

Hiking and mountain climbing is available during the months of April through October and can take up to 6 hours to successfully complete. Sometimes longer! Check out Mount Batur, Mount Batukaru, and Mount Agung if you’re looking for challenging hikes.

This article was brought to you in part by EscapeTravel.com.au

Quality Accommodations on a Budget

Liz and I decided to take a last minute trip into Boston this weekend for a special “Weekend in Boston” project that I’m currently working on. We knew that we would need to find somewhere to rest our heads for the night but we weren’t ready to face the prices of a hotel in Downtown Boston.

After some quick research, I stumbled upon 40 Berkeley, a hip hostel in the South End of Downtown Boston. From what I could see, it looked as if 40 Berkeley’s location would integrate perfectly with the plans that we had lined up for the weekend.

40 Berkeley Lobby/Check-in

Upon arriving at 40 Berkeley, we were greeted by a friendly staff member who handed us our key, along with a small brochure which listed all the important information about the hostel as well as the amenities that were included in our stay. Yes, I said it. Amenities!

Room

40 Berkeley Hostel - Boston, Massachusetts

As soon as we stepped foot in our room we knew we felt right at home. Sure, the rooms are a bit on the small side. Although, we have stayed in hostels and guesthouses all over the world and I can’t think of many rooms that we’ve stayed in that were as clean and bright as the rooms at 40 Berkeley.

The room was equipped with a queen bed, desk, lamp, small bureau, hanging wall mirror, full closet/wardrobe, fresh towels. No TV here, but who needs one?

I should also mention that there are no en-suite bathrooms. There is a large shared bathroom located on each floor of 40 Berkeley. One for males and one for females, of course!

The Rooms at 40 Berkeley

Location

Location of 40 Berkeley

40 Berkeley is located in Boston’s South End. Nearby, you can find all of the nightlife, restaurants and shopping you could ever ask for. You’re within 10 minutes walking distance to Boston’s Public Gardens as well as the Boston Commons. 5-10 minutes to Copley Square and another few minutes to Newbury Street, Boston’s most expensive and glitzy shopping avenue.

Amenities:

• Complimentary Breakfast - Menu includes full buffet and eggs made-to-order.
• Free Wi-Fi everywhere in the building
• Dinner is available daily, eat-in or take-out. Menu includes specials.
• 24-hour reception services include telephone answering and tourist information
• 24-hour security
• Laundry facilities
• Light house-keeping
• Irons available upon request

As someone who works on the internet, having FREE Wi-Fi was incredibly helpful.

I also found the complimentary breakfast yet another amenity that’s hard to find in most hostels/hotels. This wasn’t one of those “continental breakfasts”. 40 Berkeley provides a buffet style breakfast that includes: Omelets, bacon, homefries, pancakes, toast, fresh fruit, belgian waffles, an assortment of juices, coffee, tea, and more!

This amenity alone will save you a lot of money due to the fact that you won’t have to spend money on breakfast each morning!

Complimentary Buffet Style Breakfast

Extras:

Free Pass Program:

Book a room at 40 Berkeley and they’ll throw in a FREE pass to one of Boston’s top attractions*:

• New England Aquarium - $22.95 value
• Museum of Science - $22 value
• Harvard Museum of Natural History - $9 value
• Prudential Skywalk - $13 value
• Loew’s Boston Common Theatre - $12 value

Additional passes are available at substantial discounts. Be sure to pick up your free pass at check-in.

*Offered with standard rate rooms only. 1 pass per room. Offer subject to change. 

Don’t miss these 40 Berkeley Specials.

Rooms/Rates:

• Standard Full Room (Full or Queen Bed) : $55 USD/night weekdays. $59/night on Weekends
• 40 Berkeley has various room options and prices. View your options at 40Berkeley.com.

Contact Information:

• Telephone : 617.375.2524
• Address: 40 Berkeley Street Boston, MA 02116
• Website: 40 Berkeley
• Facebook:  40 Berkeley on Facebook
• Twitter: @40Berkeley

ATM FEES ARE FOR CHUMPS!

You don’t want to be a chump and pay all those crazy fees when you’re on the road, do you?

Well, luckily for you, I have a work around that will save you from paying hundreds, even thousands of dollars in ATM fees both domestically and internationally!

The method for avoiding ATM fees that I explain in this in-depth video shown below is a method that I’ve been using since 2007.

I have personally saved thousands of dollars in fees through out my travels abroad. That’s not counting how much I’ve saved on ATM fees domestically here in the good ol’ USA!

Nobody likes to pay those bullsh*t ATM Fees them and why should you? If you want to rid yourself of ATM fees starting TODAY, be sure to watch the following video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFBzGPg8wbU

The inspiration for this video came from Patti, one of my Facebook fans who is heading over to Spain to visit her daughter. Patti had mentioned that she had been running around to a few local banks trying to make sure she got the best exchange rate when exchanging her US Dollars into Euros before taking off on her trip.

It wasn’t until I asked her if she knew that she could take Euros out of the ATM simply by using her ATM card while in Spain that I realized how spoiled I am when it comes to international banking.

I haven’t paid a single ATM fee since 2007!

For that reason, I simply forgot that everyone else out there in the U.S. gets whacked with a fee every time they use a “non-bank” ATM machine.

For example if you’re a Bank of America customer and you stop into a Citizens Bank ATM machine to grab some cash, you’re going to be charged a fee for using an ATM that isn’t associated with your bank.

Now, let’s talk international ATM fees. Did you know that if you’re a Bank of America customer and you use your ATM card abroad you’re going to be charged an astronomical international fee?

Let’s use Spain as an example. I’m a Bank of America customer and I’m in need of some cash while I’m in Barcelona. I stop into an ATM and use my Bank of America ATM/Debit card to withdraw some funds.  The money is dispensed and I’m on my way. It’s not until I get home and I log on to view my online banking statement that I see that I’ve been charged anywhere between $5 – $7 USD each and everytime I withdrew cash while abroad. WHOA!

Fees Overview:

• Domestic ATM Fees range from: $1.50-$3.00
• International ATM Fees range from: $5.00 – $7.00

Take a second to think about how many times you visit an ATM while traveling. Since you’re in a foreign country you don’t want to walk around with a wad of cash in your pockets do you? Of course not!

You certainly do not want to leave money lying around your hostel/hotel room either! I don’t care if it’s in an in-room safe or not. Remember, ALL in room safes can be accessed by hostel/hotel employees at any time. Also remember, you’re not in the USA anymore! Don’t think for a second that the hostel/hotel will be responsible for reimbursing you the money that was stolen. They’ll most likely tell you to kick rocks.

If you’re smart and you don’t carry a lot of cash on you, you’re going to need to use those trusty ATM machines quite often during your trip. In that case, those outrageous ATM fees that your bank charges you will certainly add up quick!

The Solution:

The solution to avoiding ATM fees internationally is to sign up for a Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking Account. It’s 100% free to sign up and there are absolutely NO fees involved in opening an account.

What are the fees and minimums?

• Monthly service fees: $0
• Account minimum: $0

What do I get with this Investor Checking account?

• Unlimited rebates from any ATM worldwide¹
• A 0.15% variable interest rate on any balance²
• Free standard checks and a Visa^® Platinum debit card
• FDIC insurance up to $250,000³
• A linked Schwab One^® brokerage account with no fees or minimums

What are you waiting for?

Get over to Charles Schwab and sign up for a free High Yield Investor Checking Account and start saving those precious dollars of yours today! Think of it this way, with the money you’ll be saving per ATM transaction, it could buy you a breakfast, lunch or dinner in many destinations around the world.

Say it with me… NO MORE ATM FEES!

P.S. – In case you were wondering, I have no ties to Charles Schwab nor do I make a commission or any sort by referring you to them. I’m simply just a very satisfied customer who loves sharing his tips on how to save money while traveling abroad.

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If you have any travel related questions, feel free to join me on Facebook or simply leave your questions/comments below!

Safe Travels,

Ryan

As some of you may or may not know, I was recently contacted by SOYJOY and invited to join a panel of bloggers that will focus on helping the community find ways to bring more joy into their daily lives. Can you guess how I will be helping the SOYJOY community bring happiness and adventure into their lives?

Through TRAVEL, of course!

As of January 1, 2012, I’m happy to say that I am now an official “JOYTESTER” for the 2012 SOYJOY campaign! I’m also proud to say that I’m currently the one and only travel blogger on board! It really means a whole lot to have Pause The Moment chosen to represent such a great cause as well as a company that promotes healthy and active living. If you couldn’t already tell, I’m totally psyched about it!.

I feel that the JOYTESTER position is perfect fit for me considering that over the course of the last four years, I have strived to inspire others to get out there and travel! I’ve also made a point to show people that travel doesn’t always have to be expensive. I don’t need to tell you how much joy travel has brought into my life, do I? Just take a gander at My Travel ABC’s and you’ll quickly understand what I’m talking about.

The JOYTESTERS:

My fellow bloggers or “JOYTESTERS” who I will be working alongside include:

• Jenniferof ShesAFitChick.com
• Janae of HungryRunnerGirl.com
• Courtney of SweetToothSweetLife.com
• Jahaira of ChatteringGem.com

The Challenges:

Throughout the course of 2012, I will be taking part in 3 Joy Challenges. As a matter of fact, I’m currently working on my first challenge as we speak. Stay tuned for more on my 2012 Joy Challenges!

Have you ever had a SOYJOY? If so, what’s your favorite flavor?