Skip to content

Andiamo Aurora

Let's Go!

  • Let’s Go!
  • My Blog
  • Travel Guides
    • Two Days in Helsinki, Finland
    • Snæfellsnes Peninsula’s Big Magic
    • The West Fjords, Iceland
    • The Complete Reykjanes Peninsula Travel Guide
  • Meet Aurora
  • Contact

Tag: Coffee

How to Choose the Best Souvenirs

August 14, 2018January 26, 20191 Comment

The English word "souvenir" comes from the French irregular pronominal verb se souvenir de, to remember. In theory, souvenirs are meant to be be a keepsake of your travel journeys. Often times, the "best" souvenirs are marketed as cheap, inauthentic, or lacking the true essence of your travels. Want to choose the more authentic and truly best … Continue reading How to Choose the Best Souvenirs

Blog Categories

About the Blogger

Aurora L.M. Schul

Aurora L.M. Schul

Hey, I'm Aurora, a 30-something travel and zero waste blogger. My mission is to share my travel experiences in detail, so you too can make your vacation days count! On the way I'll share tidbits of my zero waste lifestyle and how I cut my trash impact when I travel.

View Full Profile →

Get Travel & Zero Waste Inspiration in your Inbox

* indicates required

Recent Posts

  • Why You Shouldn’t Skip the Reykjanes Peninsula
  • Where to See Puffins in Iceland
  • 30 Days to Zero Waste Challenge Recap
  • How to Have a Perfect Day in Stockholm
  • Aurora’s Best of 2018 Review

Follow

  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

INSTAGRAM

If you're a #gameofthrones lover save this post fo If you're a #gameofthrones lover save this post for your #icelandicadventure! 📂 One of the most iconic #gameofthroneslocation is Kirkjufell. The mountain shaped like an arrow is the backdrop to the creation of the Night King (thanks, Children of the Forest 🤦🏻), described in the Hound's fire vision, + can be seen when the motley crew go in search of a wight. ⚔️ But don't be fooled into believing that #got created the intrigue around Kirkjufell. It's a dramatic, isolated peak on a peninsula long known for it's inexplicable energy. Danish sailors used the mountain as a guide post in earlier centuries naming it "sugar top." In fact it's current name highlights its resemblance to a church. ⛰️ Whatever the reason behind your desire to photograph Kirkjufell, know that you aren't the only one pulled in by its magnetism! It's a very popular stop on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula for tour buses + rental cars. A small car park leads to a walking path beside the waterfall, Kirkjufellfoss, where you can capture the iconic photo. 📸 Kirkjufell is located on a main road on the peninsula so don't park on the side of the road. It's important to keep in mind that both sights sit on a farmer's land, so walking on the path, parking on the gravel, + not littering are essential. I was reminded of this when witnessing a tractor being driven by said farmer as he moved round bales at the foot of Kirkjufell. 🚜
🚨WARNING: Lots of thoughts ahead🚨 With the c 🚨WARNING: Lots of thoughts ahead🚨 With the conclusion of #nationalparkweek, #earthweek, + my spring break, I wanted to share what's been marinating. 💭  Friendship are not perfect. There are times when you + your friends are thick as thevives, with every thought confided. Then come times where you've drifted apart in the minutia of each day. A month zooms by + you realize you haven't spoken! You never meant for that to happen, but life got in the way. Can you get back to being a good friend? Absolutely! You only have to reach out, connect, + think beyond the daily grind. 🌎 Being a true friend to the earth is similar. Like your friend, the earth knows it's impossible to be perfect in the current system. But we can try + do better with what is available to us each day. Just like we would for a friend, we can push ourselves outside our comfort zones to reconnect and do more than status quo. ♻️ If you were able to #optoutside + visit a National Park this past week, that's awesome! If you spent #earthday to reconnect with the earth through a trash clean up or switching to a reusable coffee mug for your on-the-go lifestyle, I'm proud of you. And if you took this past week to hangout with a friend, I'm happy you could connect. 🌳 We can all be better friends to other humans + the earth. Tell me, what's one thing you'll do this week to be a better friend to the earth??? ⬇️
Current status: counting down the seconds until #g Current status: counting down the seconds until #gameofthrones! 🐲  Do you recognize this place? Dimmuborgir, the dark fortress or dark castle, served as the backdrop of the Wildling base camp in Season 3. 🗻 Molten lava formed the unique landscape some 2300 years ago, when it pooled over a lake. The rising vapor created the pillars + caves found throughout the area.Located just off Ring Road, it's easy to include Dimmuborgir when you're exploring what Lake Mývatn offers. #gameofthroneslocation
Yesterday was a doozy (+ not in a good way). 🌀 Yesterday was a doozy (+ not in a good way). 🌀 But the news that lit me back up from an otherwise dreary day was hearing my feature article on @womentravelphotographers' website was live! I'm so excited + grateful to be featured on a site that supports women travel photographers. Community over competition is a mantra that really speaks to me. 👯 While I've written a lot about Iceland on my blog, in this article I share my least favorite part about my experiences + details on the cost. Use the link in @womentravelphotographers' bio to stopover + explore my travel photography story! 💻
»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
And don't worry, if you love reading about Iceland there's more to come on my blog! 🇮🇸
🚨Game of Thrones spoiler ahead! Keep scrolling 🚨Game of Thrones spoiler ahead! Keep scrolling if you haven't watched season 8's premiere🚨 Did you notice the canyon Daenerys + Jon rode the dragons through in last night's episode? I'm 99% sure it was this one -- Fjaðrárgljúfur in South Iceland. Follow the marked 2km trail along the ridge for a bird's eye view of the canyon, a waterfall + rolling hills filled with grazing sheep. #gameofthrones #gameofthroneslocation
I have been non-stop this past week. It's 11:00 o I have been non-stop this past week.  It's 11:00 on a Saturday and I am JUST waking up. That's so unlike me! 🤦🏻
»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
The week began with a Greyhound bus trip from Buffalo, NY to Cleveland, OH with 11 students from  the university where I work. We spent spring break volunteering and learning about food insecurity and homelessness in the Cleveland community. The twelve of us lived communally and made our meals together.  We spent no less than 2 hours on public transportation each day. After service, we explored attractions in the city that we could visit for free. Each night we critically reflected on our experience within the context of larger social issues. It was an amazing week spent with some truly remarkable student leaders who I know will continue to make the world and their communities better places to live. »»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
After 4 hours of sleep, I jumped into facilitating a conference for nearly 100 young non-profit professionals on Friday. What a week it has been!
»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
I'm heading to the kitchen for a big cup of @kaffitar coffee. ☕ What are your plans for the weekend???
Did you know þingvellir National Park in Iceland Did you know þingvellir National Park in Iceland was modeled after the U.S. National Park system??? A system created to preserve historic + natural wonders for future generations through dedicated public lands. »»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
But what if there was a way for each of us to take action to preserve and care for the earth for future generations? One way that we can create positive impacts is through daily actions + habits:
1⃣ Coffee-to-go? Bring a reusable go-to mug + ask for a fill (same goes for replacing #singleuse forks/spoons/knives);
2⃣ Buy less - Waste isn't just the trash we see in our bin. Save 💰 + the 🌎;
3⃣ Look for second hand items - it's so much more than clothes + thrift stores. Yard sales, estate sales, + flea markets are great places to find what you're looking for;
4⃣ Read about materials that items are made of - even organic cotton leaves a carbon footprint, so do your research;
5⃣ Do what you can! You're going to leave an impact no matter what you do, so mitigate a negative impact when it's possible. Even buying a whole butternut squash instead of the pre-packaged cut squash makes a difference.
I always dreamt of owning a horse when I was young I always dreamt of owning a horse when I was younger. Anyone else? 🐎
»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»»
Icelandic horses are a hardy breed. Sturdy and muscular, they are known for an inability to be spooked, as well as their friendly and self-assured nature. I'm hoping to follow the sure-footed example of the Icelandic horse to keep me grounded throughout a busy week ahead.
Near Stafnes I had one of those moments where I fe Near Stafnes I had one of those moments where I fell in love with Iceland all over again. 💜 It was 10:30/11:00 in a morning with on and off drizzle. When we arrived at the Stafnesviti lighthouse, we were the only ones around. Okay, not the only ones-- there was a pair of Icelandic horses munching on second breakfast. The barns surrounding the lighthouse were weather-beaten. My long hair caught in the wind and whipped around my face. The sound of waves crashing into the black lava rocks was like a kick drum in my ear.  Golden waves of grass and a schoolbus-yellow lighthouse contrasted with the cloud-filled moody skies. It was such a simple moment. Yet it was so divine.
The Reykjanes Peninsula is a powerful place. Brimm The Reykjanes Peninsula is a powerful place. Brimming with geothermal activity, rocky coastlines, and small towns the region is ideal for a day trip from Reykjavík. Which is EXACTLY what we did! 🚗 On the blog I'm sharing why I think you shouldn't miss the Reykjanes Peninsula. Use the link in my profile. ⬆️ With lots of visuals you're sure to be enticed to include the region in your Iceland itinerary.
See My Latest Adventures

Get Travel & Zero Waste Inspiration in your Inbox

* indicates required

Hey i’m Aurora

I’m the blogger behind Andiamo Aurora.

Let’s cut to the chase — On this blog I share my travel stories, craft beer guides, detailed itineraries, and zero waste lifestyle tips. This blog will help you design the travel experience you deserve without the endless hours of research. We only earn a few vacation days a year, so let’s make ’em count!

So as they say in Italian: “Andiamo!” Let’s Go!

Instagram

No Instagram images were found.

  • INSTAGRAM
  • Pinterest