Recent Posts by Heidi Siefkas

Inspired to Walkabout

Don’t be fooled by the title, I’m not an aborigine. However, just like those Down Under, my walkabout was a rite of passage. In my early-thirties, I suffered a near death accident, had a painful divorce, and lost my job. I found myself at a life-change, needing to clear my head and a change of…
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Combo Adventure Travel in Kauai – Secret Falls

Whether it's your first time in Kauai or you're kama'aina (Hawaii resident), Secret Falls (Uluwehi Falls) is a perfect combo of kayaking and hiking.  I stress that it is a combo as to access the Secret Falls trailhead because you must arrive by water. Most choose to kayak, but for those adventurers looking for a real…
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Taking the Road Less Traveled

Although I have been known to color between the lines and jump through various hoops to graduate from UW-Madison and also UM-Boston, I’ve found my biggest successes have come from creating an alternate path. I was reminded of this as I recently accomplished another feat, turning in my manuscript to my editor just this past…
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Good Times and Good Stories

I base a lot of my way that I frame situations on the fact that I believe each occasion in life is either a good time or a good story. Sometimes they can be both, but most often than not when you are having a good time it isn’t raining, you don’t have a flat…
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Happy Look Up Day

If you haven’t heard of Look Up Day before, let me share with you why I created Look Up Day as well as its lesson. On September 27, 2009, I had a traumatic accident. I large tree limb broke my neck in one fell swoop. It was a miracle that I survived and ever more…
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Welcome to My World

Thanks for stopping by my blog. I was hoping you would. Grab a seat and let’s get to know one another. My name is Heidi Siefkas, but I have gone by many other nicknames – pumpkin, Hi-d, Miss Trempealeau, and Heidi Suitcase, which morphed into Ms Traveling Pants. I was born and raised in a…
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Desk Job to Dream Job

When I made my decision in 2013 to officially leave an executive level desk job conveniently located just 15 minutes away from my home to become a freelance writer and tour guide, I made some heads turn. Not only was I taking a gamble, but by colleagues I was viewed as taking a big risk…
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Legal Travel to Cuba for Americans and Why NOW is the Time to Go!

Cuba is slowly opening up to Americans. Contrary to popular belief, Americans can go to Cuba and do so legally. I’ve asked fellow blogger and Cheesehead Heidi Siefkas to give an overview for how Americans can travel to Cuba and why they may want to consider doing so now. Take it away Heidi….. When I…
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Waimea Canyon and Hanapepe Kauai – Make a Day and Night of It

Whether staying on the North or South Shore of Kauai, you cannot miss taking a drive to Waimea Canyon. With the accolade of being the Grand Canyon of the Pacific, it is epic. And, you won’t truly believe it until you see it with your own eyes and experience its grandeur. The palate of colors…
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Unusual Holiday Adventure Travel – Camping in a Cave Kauai

Holiday travel is typically something very special, whether it's because of the people you are with and/or the place. My recent holiday was no different. Just days after making a trans-Pacific move from the mainland to Hawaii's farthest island, Kauai, I knew I was in for an unusual, yet adventure packed holiday. Adventuring on the…
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