Coast to Prost

Source: "Who we are" section of the Anacafé  page Andrés Rodas and Karin Sequen at the Cafeto Mío booth at Coffee Fest. If you have read my recent blog posts on Alethea's Excellent Adventures, you already know that I am living near Guatemala City at the family home of a friend (Hilda Stevens) whom I know from Portland, OR. Most of Hilda's extended family still lives in this area, including her cousin, Karin Sequen, and Karin's husband, Juan Andrés Rodas. Besides meeting many of Karin's and Andrés' family members and friends and tasting some delicious coffee, one of the highlights of Coffee Fest was the barista competition.

Instead, if we come across something that makes us think of a certain friend or family member, we send it to them when they're not expecting it at any time of the year, which is the perfect way to let them know they're always in our hearts. This often involves travel, which can be as simple as an outdoor activity like hiking or biking or kayaking together, a day trip to a new-to-us town, or a long-planned vacation together like last year's two-week cruise from the east to west coast of the U. S. via the Panama Canal. It's with those adventures in mind that I've compiled this list of what I consider to be the best travel gifts costing $35 or less. A good travel towel is an indispensable item on any traveler's packing list.

It's that time of year when we want to acknowledge our friends and family by buying them thoughtful gifts that we know they'll love. I personally have three different pairs of beer socks that I have received as gifts. It's really easy to pick up and read just one chapter at a time when you're curious about the history, traditions and brewing techniques for a certain style of beer. Another useful household item is this set of beer-themed coasters: If you're still not sure what to get for your favorite beer lover, you can't go wrong with a gift card for a local homebrew supply store (if they make their own beer) or for their favorite bottle shop or tap room.

It's not the longest amount of time I've been in transit, but 14+ hours on a plane from Los Angeles, CA to Sydney, Australia sitting next to a puking 4-year-old whose mother already had her hands full with a 16-month-old baby ranks very high as feeling like it would never end! Plus it helps me to recall some of the best meals I've ever had and the weirdest food I've encountered in markets and grocery stores around the world. There's not much to see and they serve the same chicken as all their other restaurants, but considering I've spotted KFC's all over the world, it's interesting to see where it all began. Seven weeks in Europe in 1998; six years as a flight attendant for Delta Air Lines; five weeks in India in 2004-2005; nine month around-the-world trip with Greg in 2010-11; three month honeymoon in 2011; four months in central and eastern Europe in 2017; plus countless one- or two-week vacations