Tip: The average media rate discount is around 20%. All it takes is your time to send email inquiries and use a tried and tested email template, such as the one I've used below.  

To get the email template that gave me positive results, simply download it here. All I ask is for a nominal $10 fee since I've tweaked it many, many times before achieving the results I wanted.

When we arrived at the husky farm, the air was filled with the sharp scent of snow and the unmistakable chorus of excited howls. I learned that most of their dogs are Alaskan huskies, lean and athletic, aged between two and five years old. They’re fed a performance diet of Royal Canin—no surprise, given their stamina. Before our run, we met two impossibly adorable puppies—aptly named Ben and Jerry—who tumbled over each other in the snow as if auditioning for their own ice cream flavor. We listened as the adult huskies warmed up their voices, a rising, echoing howl that vibrated through the trees.

We were lucky that there was just enough snowfall that day to do the “Running With the Pack” experience. Bearhill offers a few different options, including the chance to drive your own team, but with an infant in tow we opted for a professional musher. It turned out to be the perfect choice. As we settled into the sled—my baby tucked securely on my lap, two other adults behind us—the musher explained how he guides the dogs through voice cues and subtle weight shifts.

The moment the huskies sensed the go-ahead, they erupted into barks sharp enough to startle my little one—but only for a few seconds. As soon as the sled lunged forward, the baby melted into calm and eventually drifted into sleep, rocked by the steady rhythm of the runners against snow.

The 5-km route took us deep into the Lapland forest, right as the sun began its brief winter descent—around 2 p.m.—casting a coppery glow across the trees. We carved through winding bends that sent a quick jolt of adrenaline through the sled, and then hit a stretch of uphill terrain where the dogs took a collective breath and powered forward, every muscle working in perfect unison. There were moments of wild exhilaration and moments of serene stillness, the kind that makes you forget the rest of the world entirely.

By the time we returned to the farm, I felt both energized and deeply grounded. As a traveler and as a mother, it was one of those rare experiences that felt equally safe, thrilling, and unforgettable.

 

If the weather cooperates next time, I’d love to return for a run across the frozen lake—an even more cinematic backdrop for an already extraordinary adventure. Bearhill Husky didn’t just deliver a tour; they delivered a memory I can’t wait to chase again.

Perched above the Mendocino Coast since 1939, the Little River Inn is impossible to miss—its stately white Victorian frame gazing proudly over the mouth of the river. For decades it has lured travelers: celebrities, tycoons, film crews, all drawn to its coastal grandeur. But what stays with you isn’t its glittering past—it’s the way the inn makes space for quiet, personal moments you didn’t know you needed.

I spent just one night here with my baby and dog, and even in that short time, the inn gave me a rhythm I’d been craving. On the porch outside my room sat a wooden rocking chair angled toward the Pacific, and it became my sanctuary. My baby nestled in my arms, my dog stretched out at my feet, and the breeze off Van Damme Beach swept over us like a lullaby. The cliffs were rugged, the water endless, but the real gift was the stillness. Rocking back and forth, I felt the ocean coax my shoulders down, my breath deeper, my mind lighter.

Dinner that night unfolded in one of the inn’s outdoor, dog-friendly cabanas, a set of four canvas tents designed to shield guests from the whip of the coast. My meal arrived in a picnic basket, as though the staff had packed the coast itself to bring to my table. I started with gambas al ajillo, a caesar salad, and a steaming bowl of bouillabaisse—each dish familiar yet bright with local flair. Then came the showstopper: a whole rock cod in red curry sauce, fragrant with herbs and crowned with pickled red onions over jasmine rice. It was unexpected, abundant, and utterly memorable—the kind of dish that reminds you how generous the ocean can be. Dessert was a chocolate mousse—light and sweet, just the right final note to a meal already threaded with salt air, good company, and the sound of waves breaking in the distance.

The next morning came too quickly, but breakfast in the room softened the goodbye. Delivered in another picnic bag, my avocado toast with poached egg and salad and huevos rancheros were as comforting as they were convenient. Paired with fresh orange juice and local coffee, it was the kind of breakfast that fuels you for both check-out and the road ahead.

At the Noyo Harbor Inn, I found a rare kind of coastal retreat—one that felt welcoming not just for me, but for my baby and dog as well. From the moment I stepped onto the terrace of my room, the Noyo harbor stretched before me like a living canvas. Fishing boats drifted lazily in the water, gulls traced circles above, and as the sun dipped low, the sky melted into pink and orange hues, reflecting across the river in a way that made the world feel softer. It was the kind of arrival that makes you instantly grateful you’ve come.

For two nights, I settled into a pet-friendly room at the tip of Noyo. The inn turned out to be the perfect base for adventures in the Mendocino coast. Less than ten minutes away, the world-famous Skunk Train invited us into the redwoods, its steady rhythm carrying us through tunnels of ancient trees; guests at Noyo Harbor Inn can obtain discounted tickets. One morning, curiosity carried me farther afield, an hour and a half to the Shady Dell candelabra trees, their twisted, cathedral-like forms rising in silence. The rugged drive made me grateful for the SUV I’d brought, but the sight of those trees—like guardians from another age—was worth every winding mile.

Back at the inn, mornings began unrushed. Breakfast and brunch service start at 9 a.m. at HarborView Bistro & Bar, and I found myself drawn to the patio. I ordered the seared ahi tuna salad, brightened with greens and a nest of crunchy noodles, its freshness surprising in its elegance. With it came the Noyo River spritzer cocktail—lightly sweet, crowned with a dusting of gold so aptly representing the colors of summer.

The inn’s restaurant opens again at 5 p.m. for dinner, and this is when the real magic happens. I began with a half dozen oysters, cold and briny, the perfect overture to the meal. But it was the stuffed sole with fresh crab that lingered in my memory—the fish tender and delicate, the crab meat sweet, each bite a thoughtful composition of flavor. For dessert, a simple yet delightful tiramisu closed the night on a note of quiet contentment.

When I first told us some of my friends in the Bay Area that I was going to Tahiti, a lot of them thought that it was in the middle of nowhere and it would take me so many hours to get there. But just like in any of my travels, I really want to inspire and add more knowledge even to the well-traveled.

Since late last year United and French Bee, a budget airline, started a direct flight from SFO to Papeete, Tahiti, which would only take eight decent hours. When you land in the capital of Papeete, a small city, you can find a mix of large resorts as well as Airbnbs.

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Mauruuru in Tahitian means Thank You 🙏🏻. Another #hotelcollaboration with @intercontinental Tahiti Resort and Spa in Fa’aa, Papeete. Hope you enjoy 🎥 with special participation of @suzyguttler. More to come on my blog 😊 . . . #visittahiti #mauruuru #frenchpolynesia #papeete

A post shared by Gastronomic MisAdventures (@c3lsius) on Jul 13, 2019 at 10:21am PDT

Disclaimer: I was provided a media rate from the InterContinental Hotel and Tahiti Eden Tours. 

A Warm "Bula"
After arriving in an early morning flight from SFO to Nadi, my travel buddy and I were greeted with a "Bula!" to welcome us to the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa; "Bula" means welcome in Fijian, and I later discovered that some locals even say it with more gusto! I could feel the warm South Pacific morning breeze as we were whisked away in a golf buggy cart to the newly renovated, exclusive 'adults-only' Watui Beach Club. 

The hospitable staff at Watui Beach Club making his rounds with happy hour snacks.

The exclusive beach club is for adults only.

The Watui Beach Club recently re-opened after a renovation.

Decked in yellow-gray color palette, the Watui Beach Club has a more sophisticated vibe than the general lobby area, which has a tour desk with Rosie Holidays and also a check-in airport counter. The beach club welcomes guests with their own open-air reception area and definitely goes above and beyond the regular hospitality expected of an international branded resort. Even though the check in time is in the mid-afternoon, our room was already ready that morning. With a modern, open floor plan of the bathroom vanity and a private deck facing the resort's serene garden, our room exudes a modern, tropical vibe. Plus, free daily laundry is available for beach club guests!

The chic bathroom vanity is adjacent to the bedroom.

The hotel grounds with its modern outdoor furniture.

Located in Denarau island, which was developed starting in the 70s to cater to the bourgeoning tourism industry and is an easy 20 minute cab ride from the Nadi international airport, Sofitel is connected with other big-brand, deluxe international resorts. Once we rejuvenated ourselves with a short nap, we had a leisurely walk to explore the other resorts along the shoreline. Apart from the resorts, the island now houses a golf course, apartments and a port marina with restaurants and retail stores.

Sunset at the Robinson Crusoe Island
After a much-needed downtime in Sofitel, we were once again feeling the tropical breeze as we departed for a late afternoon cruise with Rosie Holiday, one of the large travel agencies in the island, in the Tuva river to the island of Robinson Crusoe. While chasing the sunset though, our boat's motor decided to take a break half-way through the excursion, and our boat carrying about 2 dozen or so tourists was hauled to the island by another boat.

With our little misadventure behind us, the villagers of Robinson Crusoe greeted us with a big "Bula" and welcomed our group with a kava ceremony. Other Polynesian islands also partake in the kava ceremony, but in Fiji, kava or also known as yaqona is a mildly narcotic drink made from mixing powdered root of a pepper plant with water and is served on a half coconut shell. The end result tastes like unsweetened chocolate drink.

Kava is scooped out of the bigger to a half coconut shell.

We were shown the traditional way of cooking meats, creamed vegetables, and other root crops in an underground oven called as lovo. As a former British colony, the island attracted many Indians to settle in country even up this day who are now called as Indo-Fijians. Because of this history, Fijian cuisine is highly influenced with spices from India, and I tasted them mostly through the vegetables served that night. Then after a satisfying lovo dinner, the unique fire dance of the Robinson Crusoe tribe started and ended with an astonishing finale - a combination of fire dancing and fireworks display.

The fire dancing finale. Watch it in the video below.

Fijian Island Hopping is a Must 
An island destination is never complete without island hopping. The port marina in Denarau is the starting point location for island trips to famous islands, such as the Mamanuca group of islands where the famous Tom Hanks movie, Cast Away, was filmed in the island called Monriki. The Turtle island nearby is also the film location of the 80s hit Blue Lagoon, which sparked my interest in island living as a young child.

Besides from a photo op in the famous Help Me scene in the movie, we also went on a unique bush walking tour, in which some of us got to experience firsthand what it's like to be living on the island barefoot, highlighting some other scenes in the movie. Can you find Wilson below?

Tip: Don't go barefoot if you're not used to little spiky bushes on the sand. 

Help me!!!

Reminds me of the Naked Island in Siargao, Philippines. Smooth white sand + crystal blue waters.

Exploring the South Coast 
Our next day was full of car misadventures. Our tour with Discover Fiji had a delay on the way down to the South Coast- what was supposed to be a 3-hour trek turned out to be 4 hours. But despite the set back, we eventually arrived at the Koromakawa Village, where we took a river cruise to a waterfall - this time without a glitch - and then was welcomed back into the village with a kava ceremony and local dancing. In our entire trip, I had the most sumptuous lovo buffet lunch in this village with their authentic Fijian version of pumpkin curry being the runaway winner.

One Last Hoorah 
Most of the flights departing to the US are in the evening, so on our last day, we took a half-day morning tour with Valentine Tours Fiji to the Sri Siva Subramaniya, the largest Hindu temple in the South Pacific, the sleeping giant garden, a village tour, and mud pool.

Tip #1: Be forewarned that the sleeping giant doesn't have a big statue as shown on Tripadvisor and other sites. It got its name from the formation of the mountain that looks like a giant is asleep.

Tip #2: The Tifajek mud pool and hot springs guide is an expert photographer, but please don't go with a white swim attire as it would be difficult to clean thereafter. The hot spring is also 40+ degrees celsius, which helps with sunburn but is really prickly to the skin.

The pond with lots of frogs at the Garden of the Sleeping Giant.

Vinaka Vaka Levu
Before it was time to say goodbye to the Watui Beach Club, we did get to experience their breakfast, dinner and happy hour service. The morning breakfast in the beach club sets itself apart from the usual buffet breakfast since guests are highly encouraged to order from an ala carte menu in addition to the few buffet items that are also available, such as fruits croissants, champagne, and dried fruits. I took note of the unlimited morning champagne to make my own mimosa! What I would have loved to see though for breakfast in this restaurant are more choices on fresh fruit juices and tea instead of powdered juice or iced tea, respectively.


With a more romantic vibe, dinner service is more apt for a celebratory meal, which we did so with New Zealand oysters, more fresh seafood and steak, among others in the menu. We cheered to a relaxing trip that went by so quickly and was blessed with good weather.

In our last hours at the Watui Beach Club, we joined in their happy hour with free wine, champagne and canapes. Then, the staff once again astounded me with their Fijian hospitality when they helped us secure another room to shower and change before our flight because the spa room, which is typically where guest who have already checked out can shower, was broken.

Vinaka Vaka Levu means thank you very much in Fijian!

Despite the locals embracing Fiji time, I was surprised that all our tour pickups were always on-time. So here's a video below to see what it truly means to be in Fiji time - a time to relax and reflect what is truly important in life.

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A post shared by Gastronomic MisAdventures (@c3lsius) on Nov 23, 2019 at 5:28pm PST

Disclaimer: I was offered a media rate by Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, Rosie Holidays, Discover Fiji, and Valentine Tour Fiji for this collaboration in Fiji.