About: Heidi Siefkas

Recent Posts by Heidi Siefkas

First Adventure of the Year – Road Trip from Indy to Cali along Route 66

First Adventure of the Year – Road Trip from Indy to Cali along Route 66
While most people were watching the ball drop in Times Square, fireworks, or singing ‘Auld Lang Syne,’ I was zzzzzzzzz, fast asleep. Even though I was in California (PST), I couldn’t make it to midnight in New York (EST). What would make me, a forty-something, sleepy at 9pm (PST)? The culprit was a week-long cross-country…
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Favorite Look Up Reminders of 2019

Favorite Look Up Reminders of 2019
We all need reminders. Life is busy. Sometimes the to-do list is really as long as a CVS receipt. That's why I created the Look Up Mantra in 2010. Since then, I share Look Up with readers of my books and blog as well as for those that travel with me to Cuba, Japan, Ireland,…
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Kyoto Adventure Travel – Top 5 Adventures in Kyoto Japan

Kyoto Adventure Travel – Top 5 Adventures in Kyoto Japan
The allure of the Land of the Rising Sun caught me this fall. Enticed by an invitation to visit Kyoto with friends I had met on previous adventures in Cuba and Spain, I packed my bags for Japan’s cultural and artistic capital. With over 1,600 Buddhists temples and Shinto shrines along with several castles and…
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Ichi-go Ichi-e – Living in the Moment Along the Kumano Kodo of Japan

Ichi-go Ichi-e – Living in the Moment Along the Kumano Kodo of Japan
"While hiking the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage route in one of the most scenic areas in Japan, a visitor starts to learn the local customs and get lessons in cherishing every gathering: "Ichi-go Ichi-e." With each footstep, I could hear the water whoosh from within my boots. Since daybreak, I had been walking amongst the dense,…
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Thankful for Look Up

Thankful for Look Up
Once a year, most of us, at least in the United States and Canada, celebrate Thanksgiving. We gather with friends and family to celebrate life, giving thanks to our blessings while indulging in smorgasbords of favorite dishes.  As the holiday approaches, I was reminded of a special Thanksgiving that I wrote about in When All…
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Why Moving to a New City or Country Can Be Good For You

Why Moving to a New City or Country Can Be Good For You
The world has so many places to visit, with so many of them being really magical and great places to see and experience. But for most of us, beyond having a vacation from time to time, we will tend to spend our time in one place. It can be quite scary to make the decision…
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Best of Ireland Adventure Travel

Best of Ireland Adventure Travel
After my recent adventure to the Emerald Isle to discover my roots, I wanted to share the best of a week in Ireland from my perspective. As in all of my travels, I like to mix it up a bit with active hiking portions and cultural elements. Adventure and Cultural Travel in Ireland On this…
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Hiking the Kumano Kodo Japan – Adventure Travel to Japan

Hiking the Kumano Kodo Japan – Adventure Travel to Japan
Kumano Kodo Japan If you are like most of the world, you probably have never heard of the Kumano Kodo. I didn't know of it either until I was introduced to the Kumano Kodo trek by friends with whom I walked the Camino de Santiago in Spain. I certainly knew where Japan was, but I…
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Smoky Mountains Adventure Travel – Top Three Adventure Travel Activities

Smoky Mountains Adventure Travel – Top Three Adventure Travel Activities
Top Three Smoky Mountain Adventure Travel Activities This fall, I treated myself to a visit to the most popular National Park of them all, Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you haven't been, I suggest you put this gem on your shortlist as there are plentiful hikes, great rafting conditions, beautiful drives, and even train…
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