Pure Life Podcast

In this episode, we complete our European road trip with a quick four day excursion in Portugal. Driving from Spain to Portugal is a breeze, so we set off from Seville, Spain to our first stop in southern Portugal – an amazing beach-front town called Burgau. After a quick overnight in Burgau we drove up north to Lisbon to stay for the next three days to explore the Portuguese capital along with th...

Always on the hunt for an epic adventure, we decided to take a road trip through Spain and Portugal. With so many places and things to discuss, we’re going to break our trip into two episodes with this one solely focused on Spain. And one thing became very clear throughout this adventure - you learn tons more about the country you are visiting when you drive. This trip took us into Madrid, the cap...

This episode centers on a topic we hope you will enjoy and find useful; cruising to the ABC Islands! It took us a while to overcome some of our hesitations and start entertaining the notion of taking a cruise. But once we did, we dove right in and chose to set sail with Royal Caribbean. Royal Caribbean offers a wide variety of destinations but more importantly has great accommodations for passenge...

In this episode, we head back to the Caribbean and explore the beautiful Beaches Resort on Turks and Caicos. The Turks and Caicos Islands consist of more than 40 islands and cays located east of Cuba and north of Haiti and the Dominican Republic in the Atlantic Ocean. A British Overseas Territory, Turks and Caicos’ main industry is tourism and for good reason; it is home to some of the best beache...

In this episode, we round out our exploration of the Hawaiian Islands with our top picks for Kauai. Also known as the Garden Isle, Kauai is the oldest and northern-most of the Hawaiian islands and has had more time exposed to the elements to develop lush green tropical landscapes that are sure to inspire any visitor to explore further! From the rugged Waimea Canyon to the inviting waters of the Po...

This episode continues our adventures in Hawaii with a focus on the island of Hawaii, otherwise known as the Big Island. Hawaii – or the Big Island – is the largest and southern-most of the Hawaiian Islands, one of the largest islands of the United States and it is still growing! Visitors to the Hawaiian Islands tend to venture out from Oahu to Maui or Kauai as those islands are more populated, ha...

Oahu, also known as “The Gathering Place,” is the most populous of the Hawaiian Islands and full of amazing places to explore. As a destination, Oahu has it all; beaches, marine life, lush tropical mountains, rugged country side, vibrant city life and so much more. The third largest of the Hawaiian Islands, Oahu is home to Waikiki, Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, Hanauma Bay and the Polynesian Cultura...

Maui – the Valley Isle – is the second largest of the Hawaiian Islands and a perfect destination for just about everyone. The island offers just about anything you can think of; beaches, mountains, rain forest, desert, volcanic summits, hiking, scuba, snorkeling, surfing, fishing, hiking . . . and so much more! With so much to do, it’s hard to know where to begin. Well, we break it down for you in...

In this episode, we return to the Bahamas for a truly amazing family vacation in the Exuma Bahamas, a district of the Bahamas consisting of over 365 islands, also called cays. With an island for every day of the year, it’s easy to find something to suit any taste – from swimming with sharks to stretching out on beaches so soft you’d swear the sand was made from powder sugar. We stayed on Fowl Cay...

n this episode, we share our experience exploring the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas. The Atlantis is located on Paradise Island, just north of Nassau Island in the heart of the Bahamas. The resort itself is HUGE!! It boasts 5 miles of beaches, 11 pools, 21 restaurants and an impressive 141-acre water park including water slides and lazy river rides. If that’s not enough, it also offers one of the...

In this episode, we wrap up our road trip through Kyushu with a couple of quick stops in the Fukuoka and Saga prefectures. Fukuoka provided a convenient port of entry and exit from Kyushu, so we stayed overnight and explored some of the Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine, dedicated to scholar and politician Michizane Sugawara. We also spent time at the shopping and entertainment arcade Canal City Hakata wher...

In this episode, we head back for a quick stop over in the Kumamoto prefecture. Kumamoto is located in the center of Kyushu along the western coast. Among the attractions of Kumamoto are Mount Aso, one of the largest active volcanoes in the world, Kumamoto Castle in the capital city of Kumamoto, and Kurokawa Onsen (or hot spring baths). Our adventures took us through Kumamoto twice; once to visit...

In this episode, we continue our adventures in Kyushu with a stop over in the Miyazaki Prefecture (宮崎県). Miyazaki Prefecture is located on the southeastern coast of Kyushu and offers spectacular natural attractions and serene coastal views surely to appease any discerning tastes. One of the most impressive attractions is the Takachiho Gorge. The gorge itself was formed by volcanic lava from Mou...

This weeks episode continues our adventures in Kyushu with a drive from Nagasaki to the Oita Prefecture. Oita prefecture is in the north-eastern part of Kyushu and is famous for it’s Jigoku (地獄) or hot spring “hells” of Beppu. Getting around in Kyushu is pretty easy and the scenery can’t be beat, but the highlights for us were the visits to cities of Hita, Yufuin and Beppu. We also dive into our...

In this episode, we being our adventures exploring Kyushu, Japan with an overnight stay in Nagasaki. Nagasaki enjoys a rich history as being one of the initial inroads for European explorers, culture and goods into Japan. In fact, prior to the Portuguese establishing a port there in the 16th century, Nagasaki was a small fishing village pretty much secluded from the rest of Japan. From there, Naga...

In this episode, we start our exploration of one of our favorite countries, Japan. Japan is comprised of over 6,000 islands, but the four main islands where the bulk of the population of Japan live are Honshu, Hokkaido, Shikoku and Kyushu. Most travelers to Japan typically begin their adventures in Tokyo, Osaka or other large cities on the Honshu. We were fortunate to take a trek away from the typ...

Every once in a while you’ve got to just go with your gut and take a chance on an opportunity. While in Eilat, we were torn between going scuba diving in the Red Sea or taking the entire family on a day trip into Jordan to visit Petra, famed for the Treasury and other amazing buildings carved right into stone (in fact, the Treasury was featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, right at the e...

This episode concludes our adventures in Israel with a trip to its southern most city, Eilat. Eilat is situated on a small plot of land between Jordan and Egypt, surrounded by the Negav desert and Eilat mountains to the north and the Red Sea to the south. A coastal town with great amenities, Eilat is a perfect destination for enjoying the sun, swimming, food and fun – but beware, the summer is HOT...

In this episode, we continue our adventures in Israel with a day trip we took to the fortress of Masada, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the Dead Sea. The sites themselves are impressive and must see destinations, but the ride along the Israeli highways into the Judea Desert was equally exciting. There is a distinct beauty in the desert that is only enhanced with the occasional herd of camels. H...

In this episode, we continue our adventures in Israel and discuss a day trip we took to Jerusalem. We started in Old Town and made our way through the Jaffa Gate to the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and many other spots. We also explore the shops in nearby Alrov Mamilla including a much needed stop for some great ice cream. Our day ended with a quick trip to have dinner with a fr...

In this episode, we continue our exploration of Israel with a captivating guided bus tour along the Mediterranean coast of Northern Israel. The tour commenced in Tel Aviv and traced the breathtaking coastline, unfolding a fascinating tapestry of historical sites. Our first stop was the ancient city of Caesarea, followed by the vibrant city of Haifa. Next on our itinerary was the enchanting city of...

In this episode, we talk about a recent trip that took us halfway around the world to Israel. Israel is so full of interesting places to see that we will be dedicating several episodes to all the different places we visited while in Israel, starting with this episode focused on Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv is a bustling metropolitan city situated on the south-eastern Mediterranean shores. It boasts a variet...

Welcome to the inaugural episode of Pure Life Podcast, your dose of all things travel, food and leisure. In this episode, we introduce our hosts and give you a feel for who they are, how they met and what inspires them to explore. We also break down the origins of Pure Life, or Pura Vida – where it comes from and what it means to us. Finally, we give you a taste of what’s to come throughout each e...