{"url":"https://pine.blog/sites/d4ab2a7a-d5e2-4162-918e-e2cc533fb56b","id":"d4ab2a7a-d5e2-4162-918e-e2cc533fb56b","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","description":"Travel Tips & Adventures in 100+ Countries, Come Join Me!","link":"https://drewbinsky.com","tags":[{"slug":"travel","name":"Travel","url":"https://pine.blog/tags/travel"}],"feeds":[{"id":"bdc96b60-c445-4c1e-913d-ab3cbd419ca7","url":"https://pine.blog/api/feeds/bdc96b60-c445-4c1e-913d-ab3cbd419ca7","default":true,"feed_url":"https://drewbinsky.com/blog/feed","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","type":"rss","special_source":null,"approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"}}],"type":"blog","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cropped-logo_1-180x180.jpg","total_recommendations":0,"recommended":false,"default_feed":{"id":"bdc96b60-c445-4c1e-913d-ab3cbd419ca7","url":"https://pine.blog/api/feeds/bdc96b60-c445-4c1e-913d-ab3cbd419ca7","default":true,"posts":[{"url":"https://pine.blog/posts/d218362d-33fc-40a9-8410-5394c6713858","author":{"name":"Blog – Drew Binsky","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cropped-logo_1-180x180.jpg"},"site":{"url":"https://pine.blog/sites/d4ab2a7a-d5e2-4162-918e-e2cc533fb56b","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","description":"Travel Tips & Adventures in 100+ Countries, Come Join Me!","link":"https://drewbinsky.com","type":"blog","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cropped-logo_1-180x180.jpg","approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"}},"feed":{"url":"https://pine.blog/api/feeds/bdc96b60-c445-4c1e-913d-ab3cbd419ca7","default":true,"feed_url":"https://drewbinsky.com/blog/feed","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","last_updated":"2019-06-17T16:27:15.208369Z","type":"rss","special_source":null,"approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"}},"id":"d218362d-33fc-40a9-8410-5394c6713858","external_link":null,"title":"My 2018 Recap: 35 New Countries Visited","content":"2018 is in the books and (as I say every year), this year has been yet for my personal growth, goals and travels. In 2018, Deanna and I stepped foot on our 7th continent together (Africa!). We made Bangkok our new home base and we successfully held our first group trip. I cracked both [...]\nRead More...\nThe post My 2018 Recap: 35 New Countries Visited appeared first on Drew Binsky.","short_content":"2018 is in the books and (as I say every year), this year has been yet for my personal growth, goals and travels. In 2018, Deanna and I stepped foot on our 7th continent together (Africa!). We made Bangkok our new home base and we successfully held our first group trip. I crac...","content_html":"

2018 is in the books and (as I say every year), this year has been yet for my personal growth, goals and travels.

In 2018, Deanna and I stepped foot on our 7th continent together (Africa!). We made Bangkok our new home base and we successfully held our first group trip. I cracked both 1 and 2 million social media followers and 500 million overall video views. I hired a full time cinematographer, Michael, who has taken my video production to a whole new level.

Through this year, I visited 41 countries. 35 of them were for the first time including 24 countries in Africa – almost half of the continent.

If you are a visual person, here is a map of my exact travels throughout the 365 days in 2018.

$\"\"$

I will forever remember 2018 as the year of Africa as I had so many amazing memories and moments from Ethiopia to Somaliland to Rwanda and everywhere in between.

The following are my Top 10 experiences of 2018:

1. Isfahan, Iran

$\"\"$

I cannot tell you how much I love Iran after spending 2 weeks there. It’s easily most misconceived country in the world and one of my absolute favorites. The most enjoyable city for me was Isfahan, home to the world’s second biggest city square and amazing architecture! Iranians are some of the most hospitable, friendly and kind people that you will ever meet and I’m already looking forward to my next trip there!

2. Somaliland

$\"\"$

Another underrated country is Somalia, which I visited the sovereign north state of Somaliland for 5 days at the beginning of 2018. Going in, I was very nervous as the media says nothing good about Somalia, but I had a very safe and exciting trip! The capital of Hargeisa was filled with life, markets, and delicious food. The best part overall was the camel market and visiting a UNESCO site called Las Geel which is old rock carvings. A remarkable place, indeed

3. Omo Valley

$\"\"$

In Ethiopia, I went to the Omo valley in the south western part of the country to visit the most remote tribes in Africa (and maybe in the world). Tens of thousands of people are living just like humans lived tens of thousands of years ago, and it was surreal to witness. The nomadic Mursi tribe was most fascinating with their giant pierced lip plates and over-the-top feathered headwear. It was a special experience to walk through their local markets, witness their traditional dances and see how they eat and interact. I hope to be back there again soon.

4. Uganda Primates

$\"\"$

In Uganda, I visited both the mountain gorillas (who are only native to Uganda/DRC/Rwanda) and then the following day, pwe visited the chimpanzees in their natural habitat about 8 hours North in a different national park. The chimps were most human like, as they scream and jump around the trees. Despite the steep prices ($2K total just for the permits), I highly recommend going!

5. Syrian Refugee Camp

$\"\"$

While in Lebanon 2 months ago, I wanted to visit some of the millions of Syrian refugees who escaped war to settle over the border. I was nervous to go inside, but then quickly settled in as the people are so welcome. I was invited into their homes with tea, coffee and smiles as I interviewed various families her their escape stories. They are such humble people and I can’t wait to go to Syria soon.

6. Maldives Bday

$\"\"$

For my 27th birthday, Deanna and i had an amazing time in the Maldives. We first stayed on a resort island, but then I wanted to see the local life which not many people get to experience, so we headed to Maafushi island and it was a totally different experience of the Maldives than you may imagine. We were there during Ramadan, and despite most things being closed, I enjoyed spending it with my local friends and their families!

7. Bhutan Tiger’s Nest

$\"\"$

Bhutan surprised me in many ways, such as their initiative to protect the environment, beautiful Buddhist shrines and pagodas and the unbelievably warm people whom I met. But nothing was more impressive than the 7 hour hike to Tiger’s Nest – that giant monastery built on the side of a cliff. I’m sure you’ve seen the photos, but no photos can do justice by how spiritual the entire experience is!

8. Gabon Iboga Initiation

$\"\"$

In the Central African nation of Gabon, I did an initiation for iboga – the psychedelic drugs that’s found only in tree bark in Gabon, Cameroon and Central Africa Republic. I didn’t consume enough to feel any effect (only ate 1 stick and 8 sticks makes you trip), but I did all the rituals and it was out of this world incredible.

9. Namibian Road Trip

$\"\"$

Overall, I think Namibia is my favorite country in Africa. It’s a place where glistening sand dunes meet with ocean. Wildlife is everywhere and so are nomadic tribes. I spent an afternoon with the Himba people, learning about their way of life. They do not wear clothes and their diet consists of goat and antelope that they kill in the bush. I love meeting nomadic tribes and learning about their way of life. In fact, we connected so much that they invited me to spend the night in their huts which I respectfully declined.

10. Mauritius Nature

$\"\"$

We spent 9 days in this island nation off the southeastern coast of Africa, and the nature was breathtaking. High Waterfalls, rocky mountains, lush greenery, perfect beaches and scuba diving. It’s pretty much a perfect island, across the board, and I highly recommend it! It’s also the only Hindu-majority country in Africa and I enjoyed visited the various Hindu temples around town.

———–

Looking back, 2018 was really an awesome year all around and I’m sad that it’s already over. I hope you guys can see the common theme from my highlights that all human beings are kind and hospitable. Even when I travel to the farthest places away from home, I am constantly surprised and humbled by the people I meet.

I want to extend an EXTRA THANK YOU FOR reading my blog and watching my videos! 2019 will hopefully be the year that I’ll finish all the countries on the world. The best is yet to come!

Places visited in 2018 in order

MANILA – ZANZIBAR – DAR – JO BURG – TULI GAME RESERVE – KRUGER – JO BURG – LESOTHO – JOBURG – SWAZILAND – MAPUTO – VIC FALLS – LIVINGSTONE – LUSAKA – LILONGWE – NKHOTAKOTA – LILONGWE – NAIROBI – KISUMU – NAKURU – NAIROBI – KIGALI – ENTEBBE – BWINDI – KIBALE – KAMPALA – ENTEBBE – ADDIS – ARBA MICH – JINKA – ADDIS – DJIBOUTI – ADDIS – HARGEISA – DAARBUDUQ – BERBERA – HARGEISA – DUBAI – SEOUL – LA – PHOENIX – ANTELOPE – ZION – EL PASO – PINK STORE – PALOMAS – EL PASO – DALLAS – ENGLEWOOD, FT MYERS, NAPLES, MIAMI, HILTON HEAD, NYC, DC, AZ, MANILA, PORT MORESBY, PINU, DILI, BALI, MANILA, SIEM REAP, MALE, KURUMBA, TEHRAN, YAZD, KERMAN, SHIRAZ, ISFAHAN, ABYANEH, TEHRAN, PORT LOUIS, VICTORIA, BANGKOK, THIMPU, PARO, BANGKOK, KUALA LUMPUR, ANTANARARIVO, DIDY, MORONI, WINDHOEK, SOLITARE, SWAKOPMUND, STOSHA, WINDHOEK, LUANDA, SAO TOME, LIBREVILLE, DOUALA, BUEA, MALABO, NDJAMENA, LOME, BAMAKO, NOUAKCHOTT, BEIRUT, BYBLOS, BAALBEK, BANGKOK, CHIANG MAI, CHIANG RAI, LAMPANG, NAN, BANGKOK, TBILISI, KUTAISI, BATUMI, TBILISI, JAKARTA, BANGKOK, MANILA, BAGUIO, ZAMBOANGA, HONG KONG, BALI, UBUD, PHUKET, BANGKOK

The post My 2018 Recap: 35 New Countries Visited appeared first on Drew Binsky.

","short_content_html":"

2018 is in the books and (as I say every year), this year has been yet for my personal growth, goals and travels.

In 2018, Deanna and I stepped foot on our 7th continent together (Africa!). We made Bangkok our new home base and we successfully held our first group trip. I crack...

","date_published":"2019-01-03T03:21:11Z","date_modified":null,"date_collected":"2019-01-30T06:01:33.757061Z","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Screen-Shot-2018-12-06-at-12.35.10-PM.png","images":["https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Screen-Shot-2018-12-06-at-12.35.10-PM.png","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Iran.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Somaliland.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Omo.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Gorilla.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Lebanon.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Maldives.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/bhutan.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Gabon.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Namibia.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/Mauritius.jpg"],"suggested_type":"post","link":"https://drewbinsky.com/2018-recap-35-new-countries-visited/","tags":[]},{"url":"https://pine.blog/posts/a5d8abb5-69ba-4d5b-a47e-a7ed4db87512","author":{"name":"Blog – Drew Binsky","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cropped-logo_1-180x180.jpg"},"site":{"url":"https://pine.blog/sites/d4ab2a7a-d5e2-4162-918e-e2cc533fb56b","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","description":"Travel Tips & Adventures in 100+ Countries, Come Join Me!","link":"https://drewbinsky.com","type":"blog","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cropped-logo_1-180x180.jpg","approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"}},"feed":{"url":"https://pine.blog/api/feeds/bdc96b60-c445-4c1e-913d-ab3cbd419ca7","default":true,"feed_url":"https://drewbinsky.com/blog/feed","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","last_updated":"2019-06-17T16:27:15.208369Z","type":"rss","special_source":null,"approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"}},"id":"a5d8abb5-69ba-4d5b-a47e-a7ed4db87512","external_link":null,"title":"Iran is NOT What You Think!!","content":"I just completed a 14 day trip around Persia with G Adventures, and much to my surprise, Iran is not (at all) what I thought it’d be like! Contrary to popular belief, Iran is extremely safe, with the most friendly people I’ve ever met who went out of their way to make sure I was [...]\nRead More...\nThe post Iran is NOT What You Think!! appeared first on Drew Binsky.","short_content":"I just completed a 14 day trip around Persia with G Adventures, and much to my surprise, Iran is not (at all) what I thought it’d be like! Contrary to popular belief, Iran is extremely safe, with the most friendly people I’ve ever met who went out of their way to make sure I was...","content_html":"

I just completed a 14 day trip around Persia with G Adventures, and much to my surprise, Iran is not (at all) what I thought it’d be like! Contrary to popular belief, Iran is extremely safe, with the most friendly people I’ve ever met who went out of their way to make sure I was safe and having a good time. I have no incentive to lie to you about this — it is just the 100% truth.

Before I dive in any further, please take 2 minutes to watch this video — which currently has 4+ million views as I write this:

\n\n

Is IRAN Safe? (Realizations from 14 Days in Iran)
\n
IS IRAN SAFE TO VISIT?! $\"🇮🇷\"$ $\"🇮🇷\"$ $\"🇮🇷\"$ I just finished 2 weeks traveling all over this fascinating country with G Adventures, and let’s just say that IRAN IS NOT WHAT I EXPECTED!!
\n
Unfortunately, the media makes Iran look extremely evil, when in reality, it is absoultey safe to visit, and the locals here are the most humble, honest and hospitable people that I’ve met in all of my travels. I am not joking!!
\n
Over the next 14 days, I will be launching daily videos as they happened over the past 2 weeks of my life in this beautiful country. I will be digging deep into the ancient history, trying all of the best dishes, meeting eye to eye with locals and observing their unique lifestyle as I take you behind the scenes of this special nation.
\n
Out of all 14 videos that you are about to see in my Iran series, this one has the strongest message — which is why I am sharing it first.
\n
I truly hope you enjoy watching my raw perspectives around Iran, and I encourage you (as always) to comment below with any questions and and I’ll do my best to get back to you!
\n
Follow Drew Binsky for daily travel videos, and come say hi on Insta @drewbinsky $\"🇮🇷\"$
\n
P.S. I apologize for the 2 week delay in sharing any videos — Truth be told, I decided to take a break from making videos so I could fully enjoy and appreciate this eye-opening trip to Iran. I haven’t gone more than 2 days without sharing a video over the last YEAR, so it was hard for me, but it was a nice detox. I’ve been so anxious to roll out these videos and I hope you find them valuable $\"🙂\"$
\n
Posted by Drew Binsky on Saturday, June 9, 2018

\n\n

When we (Americans) think about Iran, we tend to only think of negative things such as terrorism. But what about the 80 million innocent locals who live across this fascinating country? And all the history the land contains? This is Iran at its core – hospitality and history – and I’m excited to give you a glimpse of what I just experienced.

This trip was the second that I have taken with G Adventures (the first was to Tajikistan & Uzbekistan last year) — and all I can say is positive things about my experience with G. The schedule on our Iran trip was a perfect mixture of sightseeing and free time, while we moved around to Iran’s most historical cities. Looking back, I honestly can’t think of a better way to spend 14 days in Persia (for a detailed look at our day-to-day itinerary, click this link). Our group had 12 members, representing 9 different countries from Mexico to New Zealand to to the U.S. to Germany, and our guide, Amin, was a really cool dude who knows everything about Persia and Persian history. Amin has turned into one of my good friends!

Here is a photo of our group, followed by a photo of Amin and I!

$\"\"$

Soon after I arrived in Iran, I learned that the wifi situation is extremely slow, and therefore, I would be unable to upload daily videos like I usually do. While I was originally frustrated, it ended up being a good thing – I was able to stress less and fully enjoy my time in Iran.

In this blog post, I’m going to share with you my top 5 favorite things about Iran, and whenever necessary, I will embed a video that is related to what I am talking about. If you want to see all 14 videos that I made in Iran, please do so on my Facebook and/or YouTube pages.

5 Favorite Things About Iran

$\"\"$

1. The People

No matter how many Instagram posts and videos I make about the friendliness of the people, it still won’t do justice by how over the top they truly are! If you take away anything from this blog post, please let it be that Persians are the most hospitable, kind and humble people that I’ve met in all my travels to 139 countries.

I interacted with as many locals as I could, and not once on any occasion was I disrespected or even looked at funny. I even told people that I was both American and Jewish, and it made them even more interested to get to know me. I was invited (dozens of times) into peoples’ houses for a cup of tea and even offered a bed to sleep in. One time in Isfahan, I walked into a hardware store in the evening and the owner wouldn’t let me leave because he wanted to talk to me all night and he kept feeding me tea! I made many good friends while in Iran, and I can’t wait to go back and visit them all someday soon.

Here is a video I made all about the kindness of Iranian people:

\n\n

The World’s FRIENDLIEST People! (IRAN)
\n
Out of all my travels in 137 countries, it is right here, in Iran, where I have found the most hospitable and friendly people. Complete strangers coming up to me on the street, from big cities to small towns, offering me a cup of tea in their shop or a bed to sleep in their home.
\n
I’m convinced that I could come to Iran with $0 in my pocket and easily be able to make friends, find delicious meals and be welcomed in a comfortable home like family. Seriously, it’s almost like they force you into their homes (in a good way!)
\n
Over the last 2 weeks, I’ve told dozens of Persians that I am both American and Jewish, and contrary to what you may think, it makes them like me even more, peaking their interest and asking more questions. I have not felt a minuscule of negative hostility yet from anyone in this country.
\n
Also, as I have now published 10 videos about Iran so far — it really makes me laugh when I read some of the comments and hear people calling my videos “propaganda.” These videos are the farthest thing away from propaganda!!! They are telling you the downright truth from my experiences in the country. Nobody told me to make this video (or any video). I made this because I feel the need to share what I am seeing to you. And I hope that by watching this video (and my others about Iran) — that you will remove your negative stereotypes about this humble nation and realize that it’s one of the safest and best places to visit on our planet.
\n
If you have ever been to Iran, and you agree with what I am saying, then please share your thoughts or a quick moment/story from your experience with the people here. I want the entire world to know!!!
\n
Follow Drew Binsky for daily travel videos, and come say hi on Insta @drewbinsky $\"🙂\"$
\n
Music: Epidemic Sound
\n
*Note* My trip to Iran was from May 26-June 9, but due to limited WiFi there, I decided to delay my videos until trip ended — which you are seeing in chronological order. Hope you enjoy!
\n
Posted by Drew Binsky on Monday, June 18, 2018

\n\n

2. The Historical Sites

Iran is home to one of the world’s oldest civilizations. Human activity in this country dates back 40,000 years — and evidence of these ancient humans can be found in select places in Iran. My favorite historical sites were Persepolis and the Rayan citadel. Persepolis was the former capital of the great Persian empire, which was ordered by Darius the Great is 515 BC. The site today, which is partly in ruins and patly in tact, is organized by about a dozen columns with extremely detailed inscriptions on the stone. The Rayan citadel is another built-up city from the same time frame, but it’s more compact and set alongside a beautiful mountain range. It was abandoned soon after it was built, but the buildings are still remarkable to witness. Both Persepolis and the Rayan Citadel are 2 of 22 UNESCO sites in Iran!

Here’s a video I made about Persepolis:

\n\n

PERSEPOLIS: The Forgotten Wonder of the World?
\n
You know how some places just WOW you? That’s what’s happening to me right now, at Persepolis in Iran.
\n
Persepolis is the name of the former capital of the Achaemenid (Persian) Empire. Archaeologists and historians believe that this city began being built in 518 BC – or 2,530 years ago.
\n
Today, as you wander around Persepolis, you can see incredible stone columns and walls with extremely detailed inscriptions, giving us insight for how these humans used to live their lives. The most impressive thing to me is that nothing in Perseoilis is restored — it’s all in its original form. I cannot imagine how much more polished this city looked back in its heyday!
\n
After spending all day exploring Persepolis and being so stunned that my jaw is dropped to the ground, I cannot understant why it’s not considered in any of the ‘7 wonder of the world’ lists. I have been to all 7 wonders on each list, and Persepolis would easily be in my top 3!!!!
\n
Have you ever heard of Persepolis? Are you as fascinated as I am by this place?
\n
Follow Drew Binsky for daily travel videos, and come say hi on Insta @drewbinsky $\"🙂\"$
\n
Music: Epidemic Sound
\n
*Note* My trip to Iran was from May 26-June 9, but due to limited WiFi there, I decided to delay my videos until trip ended — which you are now watching in chronological order as they happened. Hope you enjoy!
\n
Posted by Drew Binsky on Friday, June 15, 2018

\n\n

3. The Persian Gardens

When one thinks of Persia, he/she probably doesn’t think of gardens (after all, Iran is made up of 2/3rds desert!) But somehow, thousands of years ago, the people of ancient Persia were able to figure out how to get water to create the most beautifully organized gardens. The gardens of Iran are so spectacular that UNESCO recognized them as a world heritage site, as 9 of them are are scattered all around the country. We visited 3 gardens, and my favorite was the one in Kerman. I loved the central water canals, giant fountain, and towering wind tower overlooking the greenest trees and purple flowers!

$\"\"$

4. The Society

Being in Iran is like entering a time warp back to the 1970s or 80s (not that I was alive in those decades, but from what I know, this is how the world looked like). The models of cars on the road today don’t resemble anything modern (except for maybe a few neighborhoods in Tehran), there are NO international brands or chains anywhere to be seen except for Coca-Cola (no McDonald’s, Starbucks, Uber, Marriott, etc), and the wifi speeds will remind you of AOL dial up in the 1990s (yes, I do remember that!).

But that all being said, it is somewhat of a refresher to be immersed in such a society, which is opposite to most countries that are overrun by tourists (like where I am right now in Bangkok). There are no scams in Iran. Life is as real and genuine as it gets.

$\"\"$

5. The Food

Ah, last but not least — the food! Who doesn’t travel for food? Iranian cuisine will not leave you disappointed. The cuisine is based on a combination of rice, meat, vegetables and nuts. Common herbs include saffron, cinnamon and parsley, and fruits include plum, pomegranate, apricots and raisins. Most of the meat takes form of a ‘kebab’ which is minced beef/lamb/chicken served on a plate alongside fresh vegetables like tomato, cucumber, olives, onion and lettuce. If you like nuts, then you are in for a treat because most dishes have them and Iran is actually the world’s largest producer of pistachio nuts! And Lastly, the watermelon juice is so fresh and you should give it a try.

$\"\"$

As you can see, I have developed a deep love for Iran and I am already planning my next trip back soon $\"🙂\"$ If you have any questions on Iran or my experience with G Adventures, please comment them below or email me and I’ll get back to you! Lastly, don’t forget to book your trip on this link!

Disclosure: I was invited on this trip by G Adventures, and received financial compensation from them for the execution of videos and social media content. As always, this post was written by me and is honest from my own personal experiences.

The post Iran is NOT What You Think!! appeared first on Drew Binsky.

","short_content_html":"

","date_published":"2018-07-03T03:29:47Z","date_modified":null,"date_collected":"2018-09-21T21:18:50.204168Z","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/g_adventures_group.jpg","images":["https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/g_adventures_group.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/amin.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/isfahan.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/persian_garden.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/iran_yazd.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/iran_food.jpg"],"suggested_type":"post","link":"https://drewbinsky.com/iran-not-think/","tags":[]},{"url":"https://pine.blog/posts/18d5203f-fe3d-4217-a21b-5026ce176a4a","author":{"name":"Blog – Drew Binsky","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cropped-logo_1-180x180.jpg"},"site":{"url":"https://pine.blog/sites/d4ab2a7a-d5e2-4162-918e-e2cc533fb56b","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","description":"Travel Tips & Adventures in 100+ Countries, Come Join Me!","link":"https://drewbinsky.com","type":"blog","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cropped-logo_1-180x180.jpg","approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"}},"feed":{"url":"https://pine.blog/api/feeds/bdc96b60-c445-4c1e-913d-ab3cbd419ca7","default":true,"feed_url":"https://drewbinsky.com/blog/feed","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","last_updated":"2019-06-17T16:27:15.208369Z","type":"rss","special_source":null,"approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"}},"id":"18d5203f-fe3d-4217-a21b-5026ce176a4a","external_link":null,"title":"Join Us on a GROUP TRIP to THAILAND (NOV ’18)","content":"Hi Friends! We’re beyond excited to launch our very first group trip to Thailand! Deanna and I will be hosting an 8 day trip from November 10-18th, 2018 to the Northern parts of Thailand from Chiang Mai to Bangkok! **This is not a free trip, it’s a paid trip. Prices and details listed below** We [...]\nRead More...\nThe post Join Us on a GROUP TRIP to THAILAND (NOV ’18) appeared first on Drew Binsky.","short_content":"Hi Friends! We’re beyond excited to launch our very first group trip to Thailand! Deanna and I will be hosting an 8 day trip from November 10-18th, 2018 to the Northern parts of Thailand from Chiang Mai to Bangkok! **This is not a free trip, it’s a paid trip. Prices and details.","content_html":"

Hi Friends! We’re beyond excited to launch our very first group trip to Thailand! Deanna and I will be hosting an 8 day trip from November 10-18th, 2018 to the Northern parts of Thailand from Chiang Mai to Bangkok!

**This is not a free trip, it’s a paid trip. Prices and details listed below**

We will be moving to Bangkok next month (June) and staying for the remainder of 2018, so we will be almost experts on Thailand by the time November comes around !

Before I explain further about this wonderful opportunity, please watch this short video which recaps all of the bullet points in 2.5 minutes.

\n\n

Travel With Us to THAILAND (Group Trip)
\n
ANNOUNCING OUR FIRST GROUP TRIP this November 10-18th — TO THAILAND!
\n
Come join Deanna and I on an adventure of a lifetime for 8 days across the Northern Parts of Thailand.
\n
This group trip is for people who A) want to hang out with us and explore the hidden parts of Thailand, but more importantly, B) to learn how to earn money online to fund your travels. There will be a heavy focus on making travel videos, but also I’ll be sharing advice on travel blogging, working with brands, social media marketing, getting sponsorships, pitching and more.
\n
Basically, within these 8 days, I’ll be giving you all of my best tips and secrets that I’ve learned over the last 6 years in this business — all while having the time of our lives in Thailand!
\n
The trip will be powered by my friends at G Adventures, but the schedule will be customized to make room for shooting videos and editing/learning on our computers every evening (Yes, I will have lessons planned to teach).
\n
THERE ARE 12 SPOTS OPEN FOR THIS TRIP:
\n
REQUIREMENTS
\n– You must be between 18 and 35 and able to speak English
\n– You need to have a desire to make videos, start a blog, or a career making money online
\n– You need to have some kind of camera more advanced than an iPhone, and a computer, but you don’t need any filmmaking skills
\n
HOW TO APPLY:
\n– Email me (drew@drewbinsky.com) a 60-90 second raw video of you explaining who you are, why you want to come and what you are planning to get out of this trip. That’s it.
\n– If selected, you will hear back from us within a month and full payment is due by August 10th.
\n
MORE INFO IN THIS BLOG POST (more detailed itinerary, total costs and more) –> https://drewbinsky.com/join-us-group-trip-thailand-nov-18/
\n
WE CAN’T WAIT! $\"🙂\"$
\n
Follow Drew Binsky for daily travel videos and inspiration!
\n
Music: Epidemic Sound
\n
Posted by Drew Binsky on Tuesday, May 22, 2018

\n\n

——

THIS WILL BE OUR ROUTE

$\"\"$

DAY TO DAY ITINERARY

Nov 10, Day 1: Chiang Mai

Arrive at any time. Welcome meeting in the evening.

Nov 11, Day 2: Chiang Mai

Enjoy free time to explore Chiang Mai. Opt for a bicycle tour, a visit the Mae Sa waterfall, shopping at the night market, or getting a traditional Thai massage. Enjoy a local cooking class with dinner.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Hands-On Cooking Class

Nov 12, Day 3: Chiang Mai / Chiang Rai

Travel to Chiang Rai and start exploring.

Nov 13, Day 4: Chiang Rai

Visit the town of Mae Sai

Nov 14, Day 5: Chiang Rai / Lampang

Continue on to Lampang and enjoy a homestay in a traditional Lanna village. Participate in craft demonstrations and opt to help prepare a local meal.

Exclusive Inclusions:

Local Living Village Homestay

Nov 15, Day 6: Lampang / Sukhothai

Take in traditional morning activities, followed by lunch in the village. Travel to Sukhothai and enjoy a free afternoon.

Nov 16, Day 7: Sukhothai

Tour of Sukhothai Historical Park and explore the area with some free time.

Nov 17, Day 8: Sukhothai / Bangkok

Travel to Bangkok and enjoy some time for last minute shopping.

Nov 18: Day 9: Bangkok

Depart at any time.

$\"\"$

As mentioned in the video, this trip is for people who not only want to explore the hidden parts of Thailand with us, but more importantly for those who have a burning passion to earn money online to fund your travels. This includes making videos (which will be the main focus), but also, learning about travel blogging, getting sponsorships, pitching, social media strategy and anything else revolving around making a living online. Basically all of the knowledge I’ve picked up from the last 6 years will be taught to you in these 8 days.

The trip will be arranged by my friends at G Adventures, but we have customized the schedule to make room for shooting videos and editing/learning in the evening.

$\"\"$

An average day on this trip will be wake up early, explore a village, meet with locals, learn how to cook their foods and film everything we can. And then, spend 3 or 4 hours in the evening at either a cafe or hotel lobby with our computers open and ready to learn!

Of course, we will also be having a few fun nights as well (nightlife is really fun in Chiang Mai and Bangkok!)

REQUIREMENTS FOR THE GROUP TRIP:

There are three major requirements that you must fulfill. They are the following.

– You must be able to speak English (EDIT, I HAVE REMOVED THE 18-35 AGE LIMIT).

– You need to have a desire to learn how to make a living online to fund your travels (making videos, travel blogging, social media, etc)

– You need to have any kind of camera (more advanced than an iphone) and a computer – but you don’t need any previous filmmaking skills or travel blogging knowledge!

$\"\"$

HOW TO APPLY:

There are 12 spots open for this trip. To apply, simply email me (drew@drewbinsky.com) a 60-90 second raw video explaining who you are, why you want to come and what you are expecting to get out of this trip (DEADLINE IS FRIDAY, JUNE 15th). Please do not go over 90 seconds or your application will not be considered.

TRIP COST:

The cost of this trip is $1,600USD, which will include nearly everything except your flights (you are responsible to get to Chiang Mai on November 10 and book your own flight out of Bangkok on November 18 or later). The $1600 includes:

7 nights at hotels, 1 night at village homestay
8 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 2 dinners
All transportation (buses, taxis, shuttles) to and from all activities and between all destinations
Hands on cooking class in Chiang Mai
Bicycle tour in Sukhothai
A local tour guide (who will be co-leading the tour alongside myself and Deanna)
Daily lessons (workshops) with me about making videos, travel blogging, and making money online. I will have curated lessons planned

If you’re chosen, payment must be sent to me via Paypal or Venmo NO LATER THAN July 20th, 2018 or else your spot will be given up to someone else. This also gives me about 2.5 months to go through your applications.

$\"\"$

OTHER THINGS TO NOTE/BRING:

You will be paired up with a roommate during the trip unless you’d like to request a private room, which will cost you an additional $249 for the 8 days
It is mandatory (as per G Adventures) to have emergency medical insurance that covers for both emergency evacuation & repatriation to the sum of $200,000 USD. It is also strongly advised to have a cancellation/interruption insurance just in case something unexpected happens.
I personally recommend bringing pocket money of $80-120 USD to cover lunches and additional spending money (souvenirs, beer, etc).
Make sure that you are able to obtain a visa on arrival in Thailand, or you must take the necessary steps to apply for a visa in advance.
Pack lightly. Trust me. We will be moving around a lot and you will not want to have more than a backpack of things. Nothing will be fancy or the need for fancy attire. One pair of pants, one light jacket, few shirts, underwear, walking shoes, hat, sunscreen should do the trick! You can always buy things in Thailand if you forget them at home!
Cancellation Policy: As per G Adventures’s, cancellation 60 days or more prior to departure = Loss of deposit, cancellation between 30 and 59 days prior to departure = 50% loss, and cancellation within 30 days of departure = 100% loss. But we really hope you don’t have to cancel as we will need to find a replacement ASAP (and if we have issues on timing, the entire trip may be cancelled).

If you need guidance for what to pack, see this video on my best packing tips!

\n\n

What’s in my Bag? PACKING TIPS
\n
Ever wonder what I bring with me on trips inside of my 2 carry-on backpacks? In today’s episode of Travel Tip Tuesday, I share all of my secrets for how to pack efficiently and more!!
\n
Have anything else to add? Please share below!
\n
‘Like’ Drew Binsky on Facebook for more fun travel videos, and come say hi on Insta/Snap @drewbinsky
\n
Music: Epidemic Sound
\n
Posted by Drew Binsky on Tuesday, February 20, 2018

\n\n

——–

That’s it! If selected, you will hear back from us within a few weeks. And don’t worry if you’re not selected this time, because I may shortlist you for our next trip in early 2019!

Good luck applying and we can’t wait to travel with you!

Drew Binsky

The post Join Us on a GROUP TRIP to THAILAND (NOV ’18) appeared first on Drew Binsky.

","short_content_html":"

**This is not a free trip, it’s a paid trip. Prices and details l...

","date_published":"2018-05-22T18:02:51Z","date_modified":null,"date_collected":"2018-09-21T21:18:50.181038Z","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Screen-Shot-2018-05-22-at-10.56.52-PM.png","images":["https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Screen-Shot-2018-05-22-at-10.56.52-PM.png","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/ko-samui.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Screen-Shot-2018-05-23-at-1.59.48-AM.png","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/palace.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/backpack.jpg"],"suggested_type":"post","link":"https://drewbinsky.com/join-us-group-trip-thailand-nov-18/","tags":[]},{"url":"https://pine.blog/posts/4f455411-f080-4d6e-9840-a5462470314f","author":{"name":"Blog – Drew Binsky","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cropped-logo_1-180x180.jpg"},"site":{"url":"https://pine.blog/sites/d4ab2a7a-d5e2-4162-918e-e2cc533fb56b","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","description":"Travel Tips & Adventures in 100+ Countries, Come Join Me!","link":"https://drewbinsky.com","type":"blog","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cropped-logo_1-180x180.jpg","approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"}},"feed":{"url":"https://pine.blog/api/feeds/bdc96b60-c445-4c1e-913d-ab3cbd419ca7","default":true,"feed_url":"https://drewbinsky.com/blog/feed","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","last_updated":"2019-06-17T16:27:15.208369Z","type":"rss","special_source":null,"approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"}},"id":"4f455411-f080-4d6e-9840-a5462470314f","external_link":null,"title":"Best Places to Visit in Summer 2018","content":"Every year, my friends at Allianz Travel Insurance conduct a survey of the most popular destinations for Americans to visit in the summer months. The way that Allianz calculates these destinations is by reviewing customers’ trips planned from May 28 to Sept 3, 2018 — and each trip is between 5 and 8 days long. As [...]\nRead More...\nThe post Best Places to Visit in Summer 2018 appeared first on Drew Binsky.","short_content":"Every year, my friends at Allianz Travel Insurance conduct a survey of the most popular destinations for Americans to visit in the summer months. The way that Allianz calculates these destinations is by reviewing customers’ trips planned from May 28 to Sept 3, 2018 — and each tri...","content_html":"

Every year, my friends at Allianz Travel Insurance conduct a survey of the most popular destinations for Americans to visit in the summer months.

The way that Allianz calculates these destinations is by reviewing customers’ trips planned from May 28 to Sept 3, 2018 — and each trip is between 5 and 8 days long.

$\"\"$

As you can see in more detail via the graph below, the most popular places for this summer domestically are Orlando, NYC and Las Vegas — all of which are not surprising. The bottom few in the top 10 are Boston, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and San Francisco.

$\"\"$

For international destinations, the top 3 are Cancun, Higuey, Dominican Republic and Montego Bay, Jamaica. I am assuming that many people will visit these destinations via cruise ship (like Carnival), as they are hotspots among cruise lines. The bottom 3 destinations in the top 10 are San Juan, Puerto Rico (surprising, considering the recent trauma that just hit the island), Paris, France and Turks & Caicos. I’ve been dying to go to T&C for a long, long time — so maybe I will finally make it out this summer!

Below is the complete list of the top 10 international destinations for American travelers this summer.

$\"\"$

Paris and London are the only two destinations outside of the Americans, and they are (of course) the two most popular destinations in Europe. No surprises there.

I’m happy to see islands in the southern Caribbean included in this list, such as Aruba, because they are the most stunning places to visit in the region (in my humble opinion). For next year, I’d like to see Colombia make the list (another amazing country that is becoming quite popular for Americans to visit these days).

In regards to Mexico, there are travel warnings all over the places for Americans to be careful going (and especially after another family was just found killed while on vacation) — but places like Cancun, where I’ve been twice, are much safer than other regions.

As for my personal recommendations for places to visit in summer, 2018 — I would say Japan, Tajikistan and Prague — all are fascinating places that will be in peak season from May – September.

*Methodology: The data of U.S. travelers’ 2018 summer travel plans was gathered by analyzing the number of travelers that went through the online booking process of airfare and package paths for partners offering Allianz Global Assistance travel to generate itineraries for roundtrip flights departing from US airports during 5/28/2018 – 9/3/2018 for trips between 5-8 days in length.

Disclaimer: I am a partner with Allianz and receive financial compensation from them. That being said, this post was written by me and all opinions are mine.

The post Best Places to Visit in Summer 2018 appeared first on Drew Binsky.

","short_content_html":"

Every year, my friends at Allianz Travel Insurance conduct a survey of the most popular destinations for Americans to visit in the summer months.

The way that Allianz calculates these destinations is by reviewing customers’ trips planned from May 28 to Sept 3, 2018 — and each trip...

","date_published":"2018-05-12T09:45:50Z","date_modified":null,"date_collected":"2018-09-21T21:18:50.160799Z","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/tulum.jpg","images":["https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/tulum.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Screen-Shot-2018-05-10-at-4.44.38-PM.png","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Screen-Shot-2018-05-10-at-4.44.15-PM.png"],"suggested_type":"post","link":"https://drewbinsky.com/best-places-visit-summer-2018/","tags":[]},{"url":"https://pine.blog/posts/76525af4-4a80-4703-9e67-6fd303aacc7a","author":{"name":"Blog – Drew Binsky","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cropped-logo_1-180x180.jpg"},"site":{"url":"https://pine.blog/sites/d4ab2a7a-d5e2-4162-918e-e2cc533fb56b","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","description":"Travel Tips & Adventures in 100+ Countries, Come Join Me!","link":"https://drewbinsky.com","type":"blog","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/cropped-logo_1-180x180.jpg","approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"}},"feed":{"url":"https://pine.blog/api/feeds/bdc96b60-c445-4c1e-913d-ab3cbd419ca7","default":true,"feed_url":"https://drewbinsky.com/blog/feed","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","last_updated":"2019-06-17T16:27:15.208369Z","type":"rss","special_source":null,"approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"}},"id":"76525af4-4a80-4703-9e67-6fd303aacc7a","external_link":null,"title":"Highlights From a 6 Day Road Trip in FLORIDA","content":"I just wrapped up an incredible, action-packed road trip to Florida over the last 6 days in collaboration with Visit Florida. It was my first time back in the sunshine state since 2007, so it was great to be here with fresh eyes and new perspectives. My girlfriend and I flew into Fort Myers, and [...]\nRead More...\nThe post Highlights From a 6 Day Road Trip in FLORIDA appeared first on Drew Binsky.","short_content":"I just wrapped up an incredible, action-packed road trip to Florida over the last 6 days in collaboration with Visit Florida. It was my first time back in the sunshine state since 2007, so it was great to be here with fresh eyes and new perspectives. My girlfriend and I flew in...","content_html":"

I just wrapped up an incredible, action-packed road trip to Florida over the last 6 days in collaboration with Visit Florida. It was my first time back in the sunshine state since 2007, so it was great to be here with fresh eyes and new perspectives. My girlfriend and I flew into Fort Myers, and then visited Cape Coral, Babcock Ranch, Punta Gorda, Englewood, the Everglades, Marco Island, Naples and finally headed East to Fort Lauderdale and Miami. We drove more than 400 miles in total and just had the time of our lives.

If you are a visual person and don’t want to spend the next 15 minutes reading about our trip, then please see this recap video below:

\n\n

My 7 Favorite Things About FLORIDA
\n
I just finished an amazing week road tripping around Florida!! We saw so many animals, ate incredible foods, soaked up the sunshine on the lovely beaches and did tons of water sports like parasaling, jetskiing, air boating and kayaking.
\n
In this video, I share with you my 7 favorite things about the Sunshine State. What are your favorite things to do in Florida?
\n
Huge thanks to VISIT FLORIDA for organzing this trip and all the regional partners in Charlotte Harbor, Punta Gorda, Naples and Fort Lauderdale. I can’t wait to return to your state! As for now, I’m on my way to Hilton Head, South Carolina — see ya there!
\n
‘Like’ Drew Binsky for more fun travel videos and come say hi on Insta/Snap @drewbinsky $\"🙂\"$
\n
Music: Epidemic Sound
\n
Posted by Drew Binsky on Sunday, April 1, 2018

\n\n

———-

Overall, I think Florida is the most relaxed, beautiful and forward-thinking state in the USA. We did not have a single bad meal – I think I gained 10 pounds while there (but I’m not mad about it!). We were doing nonstop activities, mostly water sports, like jetskiing, kayaking, air boating, parasailing and scuba diving. The wildlife caught me by surprise, as did the heartwarming southern hospitality.

In this blog post, I’m going to recap the highlights of each place we visited, while sharing some photos and videos that I made along the way:

$\"\"$

Part 1 – Fort Myers, Charlotte Harbor and Punta Gorda

I personally think that Florida’s South West part is the best kept secret in the state. It’s less commercial, less touristy but has the same stunning beaches, ridiculous views and relaxing lifestyle as East or North in the state.

For me, the two highlights of Charlotte County were visiting Babcock Ranch and the beaches in Englewood. Babcock ranch is a 27 square mile planned community, that is America’s first solar powered town. They are 100% powered by solar energy, as almost 500,000 solar panels can be found in nearby fields and on the top of commercial buildings. Being solar powered means electric driverless cars to get around, top-of-the-line technology with free wifi outside (everywhere!) and work out machines that pump energy back into the ground. I was thrilled to be here and witness such forward thinking and innovation – and I hope that the rest of the U.S. will soon follow their footsteps.

\n\n

Inside America’s First Solar Powered Town
\n
The future has arrived!
\n
Yesterday, I had the privilege to visit the most forward-thinking and innovate town I’ve ever come across. It’s called Babcock Ranch and it’s in South Western Florida.
\n
Babcock Ranch is America’s first solar powered town — 100% powered by the sun. This means that they produce more energy than they consume, as almost a half million solar panels are laid out in nearby fields and on top of commercial buildings. They have driverless electronic shuttles that take you around, work out machines that pump energy back in to the ground, top-of-the-line technology readily available and even free WiFi everywhere in town (including outside)!!
\n
Babcock Ranch is setting the standard for future cities across the U.S.A and the world, and I’m lucky to be able to witness it first hand. They are planning to have 19,500 homes on 6 million square feet of commercial space.
\n
Have you ever heard of Babcock Ranch? Or do you know of any other towns that are on their way to be 100% solar powered?
\n
More to come soon around Florida with VISIT FLORIDA $\"🙂\"$
\n
‘Like’ Drew Binsky for more fun travel videos, and come say hi on Insta/Snap @drewbinsky!
\n
Music: Epidemic Sound
\n
Posted by Drew Binsky on Wednesday, March 28, 2018

\n\n

——–

Englewood was shockingly beautiful – I wasn’t expecting the West (Gulf) coast beaches to be as pristine as the East (Atlantic) beaches. But I was proven wrong. I woke up early for sunrise and sat in the sand with my eyes out on the horizon. I saw dozens of dolphins playing in the sea as I listened to the sound of the crashing waves on the shore. Aside from the beach, Englewood had incredible restaurants and a lovely downtown shopping area called Fisherman’s village with tons of shops, cafes and live music.

$\"\"$

Part 2 – Naples and Surrounding Areas

As we headed South down the West coast, our first stop was Everglades City to jump on board a air boat (powered by a huge fan on back). The boat took us around the Everglades – AKA the swamp where the alligators live! Even though it was the low season for gators (because of the low water level and high concentration of salt) – we did manage to see a few and I cannot believe how big they are.

After the Everglades, we headed to the quaint town of Naples, which I honestly knew nothing about before arriving. And I quickly figured out that it’s one of America’s richest cities, with the second highest density of millionaires per capita and households that are upwards of $10 million dollars. While the people were mostly over 65 and retired, there was definitely a fair share of younger, hip areas (check out Bar Tulia!) and the beaches did not disappoint.

\n\n

How Rich is Naples, Florida?
\n
I’ve never seen wealth like I’ve been seeing here in Naples, Florida over the past 48 hours. It’s one of America’s richest cities, with the second-highest proportion of millionaires per capita and an average home price of $520,000! Almost every household I’ve seen is HUGE — like fancy castles.
\n
BUT despite the rich and famous, there are plenty of things you can do on a budget in Naples, and also, there are loads of fun activites & water sports available. We have gone parasailing, jetskiing, air boat riding through the Everglades, kayaking, river cruising and swimming on the shore. Have I mentioned that there is a 10-mile straight coastline of pure white sand beaches?
\n
Have you ever been to Naples?? More to come soon from the Sunshine State with VISIT FLORIDA!
\n
‘Like’Drew Binsky for more fun travel videos, and come say hi on Insta/Snap @drewbinsky $\"🙂\"$
\n
Music: Epidemic Sound
\n
Posted by Drew Binsky on Thursday, March 29, 2018

\n\n

——–

But above all, the highlight of Naples was visiting the Naples Zoo. When most people hear the word zoo, they tend to freak out and over analyze animals being mistreated, etc. But the Naples Zoo does the exact opposite – specifically their rehabilitation facilities for injured or orphaned Florida panthers. We were about to meet with one panther, named Uno, who was found blind on the side of the road 4 years ago after being shot in the eye. The team at Naples Zoo rescued him, gave him a nice facility and they are now closely looking after him. Uno is currently living a happy and healthy life, which is crucial when there are only 230 panthers left in existence.

\n\n

Are You Against Zoos?
\n
Whenever I mention the word ZOO, people tend to freak out because they automatically think animals are being mistreated. While this may be the case for some zoos in the world, there are several others I’ve visited who are working hard to protect & conserve animals and our ecosystems.
\n
Yesterday, I visited the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens in Florida, where I was able to meet with Uno — a blind panther that they rescued on the street and have taken under their wing. Without their efforts, Uno would not be alive, and the vulnerable species of the Florida Panther would have one less member (there are about ~200 living today).
\n
What are your thoughts on zoos? Are you for or against them? Let me know in the comments below.
\n
‘Like’ Drew Binsky for more fun travel videos and come say hi on Insta/Snap @drewbinsky $\"🙂\"$ We are now on our way to Fort Lauderdale with VISIT FLORIDA!
\n
Music: Epidemic Sound
\n
Posted by Drew Binsky on Saturday, March 31, 2018

\n\n

———

Part 3 – Fort Lauderdale

Our last leg of the trip took us to sunny Fort Lauderdale – a place I remembered as kid was very fun. And my thoughts are confirmed as an adult!! We began our experience by attending a mermaid show – where real girls dress up as mermaids and swim in a pool as we all watched through giant windows from inside a bar. It was actually more fun than I thought!

$\"\"$

The following day, we went scuba diving with South Florida Diving Headquarters which was actually my first time diving in the states (I’ve been diving more than 5 countries!). Even though the day was quite windy and slightly rainy, the sea life was booming. I did one ship wreck dive and one reef dive, and I saw turtles, sting rays, puffer fish, lobster and more!

Finally, to wrap up a fun time in Fort Lauderdale – we went to the FAT Art Walk Village, which only occurs once a month on the last Saturday. It’s basically a blocked off street with art exhibits from local artists, food truck vendors, live music and all around good vibes. We loved it. This was so much fun that I think it should be a weekly event, not only once a month! Seeing this retro side of Ft. Lauderdale was a nice change of pace from Naples.

Final Words

Our trip to Florida was one that I will never forget. Aside from winter sports and mountains — this state really has it all. Especially if you like to be around the water!

$\"\"$

It’s no surprise to me why everyone wants to retire in Florida. Year round great weather, golf courses, wildlife and beaches is all I need to hear to live a happy life! It was truly a magnificent adventure down in Florida.

Special thanks to my friends at Visit Florida for helping organize this trip, as well as all regional partners of Charlotte Harbor, Paradise Coast & Fort Lauderdale –I can’t wait to return in the near future!!.

Disclosure: I was invited to Florida by Visit Florida, and received financial compensation from them during the trip. As always, this post was written by me and is honest from my own personal experiences.

The post Highlights From a 6 Day Road Trip in FLORIDA appeared first on Drew Binsky.

","short_content_html":"

","date_published":"2018-04-03T12:25:21Z","date_modified":null,"date_collected":"2018-09-21T21:18:50.131114Z","image":"https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/sunset.jpg","images":["https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/sunset.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/views.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/mermaid.jpg","https://drewbinsky.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/parasail.jpg"],"suggested_type":"post","link":"https://drewbinsky.com/highlights-6-day-road-trip-florida/","tags":[]}],"feed_url":"https://drewbinsky.com/blog/feed","title":"Blog – Drew Binsky","type":"rss","special_source":null,"approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"}},"last_post_date":"2019-01-03T03:21:11Z","special_source":null,"approximate_update_frequency":{"name":"rarely","description":"Rarely"},"public":true}