I started this blog back in 2016, during a ‘one year career’ break that I took after fifteen years of working Full Time (during which I took only a few vacations of 2 weeks or more) in an industry that I had loved for most of my career but started to realize was not the right industry for me based on my career goals. I started the blog out of a desire to gain more experience with CMS systems, SEO, etc. and to have a website I could experiment with when I wanted to test new marketing applications, email and CRM systems, etc. I was also interested in sharing my pursuit of a new and different kind of life with others, and potentially building up a side ‘gig’ as a travel writer. I blogged quite a bit during my ‘one year career break’ and through my first two and a half years in Spain. And you know what? I did end up doing professional travel (and food, drink, cider, wine, business) writing on a freelance basis for several years alongside my marketing consulting work, as I built up a different career and life that would allow me more opportunities and flexibility.
Fast forward to 2024: I’ve done almost nothing to this blog/website in several years. It’s not a business (I don’t earn an income with this blog), but I have found it hard to let the site go as I put so much time and work into it during those beginning years.
I apologize in advance, if the posts on this site are out of date.
Working full time in senior marketing roles I don’t have the time to keep up with a blog these days. Or, if I do have the time, I want to do anything else with that time but sit at my computer for more hours. But I still love to travel and plan trips focused on local food and drink cultures and makers, language immersion, and hiking. I just do so less often and spend more time exploring locales that are closer to home (I’m living in the U.K. now, permanently), as I only have 4-5 weeks of vacation per year.
If you’ve landed on this website and have an interest in guest posting, please feel free to reach out to me! Any guest posts should also include a Youtube video version of the blog post as well as several images to use in the post. My email is: adifferentkindoftravel@gmail.com
Happy Travels! Whether you are at home or abroad, there are so many adventures and experiences to be had. Even right outside our own front doors. My mission in life is to grab as many of those adventures (and the moments experienced during those adventures) as I can, while I’m still here.
Brooke
Hello Brooke. I’m an ex-San Franciscan living in London with a house in Liguria. I haven’t eaten gluten for many years now. Do you have any suggestions for gluten free restaurants, bakeries, pizzerias in Liguria? The farinata is excellent here, but the gf pizza not so much. We’re in Savona province so for Italians, Germans and Swiss we are well on the beaten track, but well off it for English speaking tourists. Thanks so much for any help you can give.
Hi Lauren,
I have not spent much time in Liguria so I’m afraid I don’t have any recommendations there. Have you tried the Schar Gluten free roads app? I used this when I was in rural areas of Tuscany and it was relatively reliable but I’m not sure about how much coverage they have in Liguria: https://www.schaer.com/en-us/a/on-the-go
If you find a great place please do let me know so I can add it to my list! I’m headed back to Italy this Spring but mostly will be in northern Italy in the Piemonte and Veneto regions 🙂
Hi Brooke,
I have been going down the rabbit hole looking for a 1-2 week Spanish immersion course to take this summer and your article was great. I am still so torn though. The most I could afford would be 2 weeks. I am a single 50YO. Very active. I received information from the San Sabastian School, lacunza, which seems great, but then read somewhere that 2 days is enough in San Sebastian? The other ones look interesting as well. Especially since the southern ones are warmer. How would you compare atlantika with Lacunza? Or what would be your recommendation? Sorry, I need to make a decision and I am so torn! Looking for the last week in June, forst week in July and private accommodations.
Thank you,
Jenny
I am struggling to decide between Lacunza in San Sebastian or a school in Valencia for a 1-2 week immersion class. It would be the end of June, beginning of July.
I would LOVE any advice PLEASE.
Thank you!
Hi Jennifer, That’s a tough decision. Both are lovely cities. It really depends on what you personally like better. For me, the food and drink culture in San Sebastian are second to none in Spain. I also prefer northern Spain in general, as someone who likes greener, northern places more than warmer, drier, southern places.
However, I’ve also spent time in Valencia and it’s a gorgeous city. It should also be significantly less expensive than San Seb when it comes to accommodation and eating out.
Hi Jennifer, I didn’t get notifications about your comments I’m so sorry! IMO Anyone who says 2 days is ‘enough’ in San Sebastian isn’t a real traveler. 2 days isn’t enough anywhere to get a real sense of a place. I personally try not to go anywhere for less than a full week and I try for 2-4 weeks if at all possible because it’s when you get to spend an extended period of time somewhere that the real magic happens. You start to understand the culture and the city. You get to dig deeper than just the few ‘must see’ sights, etc.
What did you decide? I would love to know how it goes! I’m missing Spain myself but will be back there in March. This time in Catalonia for a couple of weeks.
I heard an interview with you and you mentioned a “secret” trail to the beach between Mendocino and Fort Bragg. Would you be willing to give me directions? I would be forever grateful 😊
Hi Jill! Of course :). Can you email me? I can’t attach images in these comments. I’m adifferentkindoftravel@gmail.com
Ciao,
I liked the top seven Italian films. I’ll hopefully be able to find some and watch. If not on Netflix where can I watch? I too live in Nor. Cal, Central Valley actually.
Google the names of the films with ‘where can I stream’ if you can’t find them on Netflix anymore. Things change regularly with film rights and movies and shows are regularly moved/bought by different platforms. Google results normally show you exactly where you can stream something
Hi Jenny,
btw I’m not sure if you’ve heard of the Freebird Club? It’s a membership site for 50+ travelers I think you’d like: https://earlybird.freebirdclub.com/ I work with them so please feel free to email me questions 🙂