With so many challenging things going on all at once, we could all use a break from the news to focus on more enjoyable distractions. And one of our favorite distractions is doing research on traveling. So in this episode we continue our discussion on the best credit cards by diving into research we have been doing on airline rewards cards and programs . Before discussing the best airline credit cards, we start off this episode with what we hope will be a favorite segment of the show: our featur...
Apr 05, 2020•44 min
In this episode, we venture away from our normal format and dive into some topics we hope you find helpful during stressful times and in-between travels. In particular, we will be highlighting some of our favorite cocktails you can craft at home - with the right tools and ingredients. In this episode, we will break down a simple but satisfyingly delicious margarita. As we’ve mentioned before, we are known to enjoy some libations! And one of our favorites is a margarita, but not just your run-of-...
Mar 29, 2020•43 min
In the last episode, we provided some tips on how to identify the best credit card rewards program for your travel needs. In this episode, we go a bit deeper and explore some of the cards we personally own that have worked well for us. Whether traveling domestically or internationally, there are some great programs to satisfy where ever your travels take you. Now is the perfect time to start doing some research on how to maximize your next hotel stay. And credit card rewards programs are a great...
Mar 16, 2020•44 min
Every day we see ads for various credit cards. Whether it’s Capital One, American Express, Chase, or Discover, they all offer attractive rewards programs geared toward travel. But that begs the question: which are the best credit card rewards programs for me? Choosing the right travel rewards program can be time consuming, confusing and frustrating. In this episode – Best Credit Card Rewards Programs: Part 1 – we break down the questions you need to answer as well as share some tips to help guid...
Mar 11, 2020•52 min
In this episode, we continue our adventures in and around Tokyo with some of our top day trip destinations for exploring the area around Tokyo. As amazing as Tokyo is, the surrounding countryside, coastlines and rustic beauty of Honshu Island are in full display when you venture just a bit south and west of the city. Some of our favorite destinations that are within an hour or two of Tokyo include Hakone, Nikko, Izu, and Kamakura. In this episode we break down all four cities – at most about a 2...
Feb 24, 2020•49 min
With this episode of Pure Life Podcast, we start a much anticipated series on Japan with a special focus on Tokyo and the area around Tokyo. Tokyo holds a special place in our hearts and has been a frequent destination for us – both for pleasure and business – that covering all must-see and must-do activities can’t be done in just one episode. For first timers or seasoned travelers to Japan, this episode provides first-hand tips and guidance on what to expect getting in and out of Tokyo as well ...
Jan 26, 2020•1 hr 6 min
In this episode, we return to Mexico to continue exploring the Yucatan Peninsula. Before we jump into exploring the area, we share some advice and things to look out for when selecting your next all-inclusive resort to ensure you maximize your stay and avoid any unintended surprises. Next, we jump into some of the sights and sounds that we recommend for first-timers as well as seasoned travelers to the Yucatan, including the amazing Chichen Itza, Coba and Tulum ruins. However, if water adventure...
Jan 20, 2020•57 min
In this episode of Pure Life Podcast, we dive into a rather important topic we hope you will find useful; air travel without identification. We’ve all been there; rush to get out of the house, running a little late, holiday season craziness has us running around in circles, and on and on it goes. Now, we’re at the airport about to go through security and we notice that we forget to bring our identification or worse, it sliped out of our bag or a pocket or it got stolen. That is the worst feeling...
Jan 13, 2020•37 min
In this episode of Pure Life Podcast, we travel south of the US boarder to one of our favorite areas of Mexico – Cancun. Located on the Eastern side of the Yucatan Peninsula, Cancun and the Riviera Maya region boast some of the most beautiful beaches and resorts in all of Mexico. If tropical beach settings, tons or water activities or archaeological excursions are on your to-do list, please be sure to include a trip to Cancun! Getting there is a breeze and with so many accommodations to choose f...
Dec 09, 2019•59 min
In this episode, we take a detour from international travel and focus on the U.S. as we discuss the wine country in the Livermore Valley of Northern California. Just a short hop east from San Francisco or north east of San Jose, Livermore is nestled in a small valley of rolling hills, natural beauty and really good wineries! Livermore is home to some of the oldest wineries in California. It’s warm, arid climate is ideal for red verities such as Petite Sirah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel as w...
Nov 24, 2019•40 min
In this podcast episode, we uncover the origin of our site and podcast name – Pura Vida or Pure Life – from an eco-tourism jaunt to Costa Rica. Located just north of Panama, Costa Rica enjoys a tropical climate year round that makes it a perfect destination for travelers seeking beach, jungle or other tropical activities. If you love nature and rustic adventures, then Costa Rica is a perfect destination! Enjoy the lush rain forests, plentiful rivers and tributaries as well as volcanoes and natur...
Nov 10, 2019•52 min
This week we continue exploring French Polynesia with a trip to beautiful Bora Bora. Located about 143 miles north west of Tahiti in the western part of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, Bora Bora is best known for its tranquil turquoise lagoon and numerous over-water bungalows and resorts. While in Bora Bora, we took in a variety of activities, including the not-to-be-missed shark feeding and sting ray excursion, a two-tank scuba dive, a jeep 4×4 tour of the main island, and even a visit...
Nov 03, 2019•53 min
In this episode we set out to explore the South Pacific on an exotic get-away to French Polynesia. As a young couple, especially before kids, we couldn’t think of another place more romantic than the islands of French Polynesia, so we booked a vacation on the islands of Tahiti and Mo’orea. Tahiti is probably better known than Mo’orea but only because to get to French Polynesia you have to fly in and out of Tahiti. But, just a scant 11 miles north-west of Tahiti is the island of Mo’orea and wow –...
Oct 29, 2019•38 min
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 the towns of Sintra and Evora. Along the way, we picked up some useful tips and tricks on where to go,...
Sep 22, 2019•1 hr 9 min
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 capital of Spain, where we rented a car and started exploring! With luggage in hand, we packed our car ...
Sep 03, 2019•1 hr 12 min
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 passengers of all ages. As such, it is a great cruise line to select if you wish to venture to the ABC Islan...
Aug 19, 2019•56 min
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 beaches in the world along with luxury resorts, shops and restaurants. If tropical beach fun and all-inclu...
Jul 22, 2019•38 min
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 Poipu or Princeville, Kauai has tons to offer. It’s laid-back atmosphere is perfect for a relaxing fam...
Jul 14, 2019•41 min
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, have more amenities and are lush with vegetation. The Big Island is full of lava flows and has active ...
Jul 08, 2019•48 min
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 Cultural Center to name a few – attractions that are sure to satisfy any discerning tastes. On top of it al...
May 20, 2019•46 min
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 this latest podcast. In this episode, we go over some of our favorite destinations and uncover a fe...
Apr 28, 2019•48 min
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 Resort, a private island just north of Staniel Cay that boasts only six villas spread across a priva...
Apr 22, 2019•40 min
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 largest open-air marine habitats containing nearly 50,000 marine animals in 15 exhibit lagoons. Add...
Apr 09, 2019•42 min
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 where we found the truly enjoyable Ramen Stadium, a must experience for even the most discerning ramen l...
Apr 01, 2019•32 min
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 Mt. Aso and Kurokawa, and another trip to visit Kumamoto castle. Highly recommend Kurokawa – such an...
Mar 26, 2019•24 min
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 Mount Aso and overtime the lava eroded to create dramatic cliffs up to 100 meters tall, offering spectacul...
Mar 10, 2019•37 min
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 experiences in some of the traditional Japanese inns, or “ryokans” (旅館) of Oita. If you are intereste...
Mar 03, 2019•45 min
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, Nagasaki grew in importance as one of the few open ports of trade between Japan and the rest of the worl...
Feb 24, 2019•25 min
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 typical and dive into Kyushu, the third largest and southern-most of the main Japanese islands. Kyushu ...
Feb 17, 2019•30 min
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 end, when they ride off after having saved the elder Jones and defeated the bad guys). For those of y...
Feb 10, 2019•31 min
