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City Gender Paris

If your city had a gender, what would it be?

I must be in a weird mood. But walking around London today I couldn’t help but muse about how interesting this city is with it’s mix of bustling city life, historic and modern architecture, fashionable denizens, and animated foodie scenes. And all that contrasts the tranquil parks and calming canals. I sighed to myself, “London, I do love her.” But then I wondered, “wait, how did I come to the conclusion that London was a female?” Then that got me thinking, do cities have genders? I know…. Weird question. Certain cities have distinct genders to me. New York is undoubtedly male. Somehow it seems to have a permanent five-o’clock shadow. The subways and streets are dirty. Living there is no…

Local travel tools

5 Local Travel Tools Make Local Travel Easy

In a recent Conversation Starter post, we were discussing the feasibility of getting a real immersive experience and making local friends even when on a short trip. Undoubtedly, this can be a dilemma, especially as the number of vacation days can be small and our expectations great. I think the solution can be found with the many companies and apps out there that are superb local travel tools. Here are five such local travel tools to catapult you toward local life in your destination. 1.Tours by Locals (PAID) I love this company. If you read my site or have seen my videos (or signed up for my newsletter lately), you’ll know it. Their platform provides a worldwide database of trusted…

Ways of making local friends #ConvoStarter

Welcome to our second post of conversation starters! I say “our” because we are really doing this together, you and me, and other travelers or dormant travelers who join our conversation. In the first “Conversation Starter” post, we talked about whether or not making friends while traveling can transform and enhance the way we experience a destination. Many of the commenters raved about the enriching nature of these connections and even shared a few of their own travel stories. But one of the commenters, Ben, raised an issue that I often hear and wanted to highlight. He wrote: “OK, unlike the rest of the bunch, I actually do think it’s quite difficult to meet people in foreign countries in a…

Travel with Kate Town hall Paris

On the winding road to my Paris wedding

So the good news is, all went well with my appointments at the Paris town hall and the US Embassy. That is, everything BUT that the town hall refused to give us a wedding date! Long story short, our town hall has a stipulation that once a dossier is submitted, there is an additional step before you are fully approved. It is an antiquated process that is just plain silly. Basically, they must publish an announcement that is visible to the public for two weeks stating our plans to be married. It is called “La publication des bans.” I guess it comes from the idea of allowing community members the chance to object in the case that there is knowledge…

Traveling for connection #ConvoStarter

I created Travel with Kate a couple years ago to provide a place where people could go for positive perspectives on cultures around the world. I want to inspire others to travel (and live their daily lives) in a way that allows them to connect with individuals from different perspectives, walks of life, and countries. I want to demonstrate the depth of personal growth that can arise from these connections. This idea came to me because when I travel I find that the world is a much more welcoming place than often perceived. And I’ve formed profound friendships with individuals along my travels that have enriched my life and helped me define my own path. But often when I come…

travel with kate snorkel kayak maui turtle

Learning the way of the sea turtle in Maui

It was a beautiful morning in Maui. The sun had already peaked up over the mountains to the East and a light, humid breeze rustled through the palm trees. I ate breakfast at the lovely buffet at the Fairmont Kea Lani at 8am. Papaya and strawberries. Toast with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers. A spinach, mushroom omelet. A pot of coffee. And by 8:45, I was driving down the road to Makena Landing Park (less than 10 minutes away) to go for a kayak and snorkel with Maui Kayaking Adventures. Despite this idyllic morning, I was feeling tense. Just after my kayaking tour, I needed to hustle back to the hotel for hair and makeup for a video I…