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Maui

Do things with your mom

May 11, 2018 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment
Makawao, Maui, Hawaii

"Could we have a day?" That was my mom asking my sister and me if we could spend a full day touring Maui together on our last family vacation. We were completely taken [Read more]

Posted in: Friends & Family, Random thoughts, Travel Tagged: Adventure, Family, Hawaii, Holiday, Maui, Photography, Travel

Get your motor running

April 24, 2018 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment
Kahoma Ranch ATV Tours, Maui, Hawaii

Well, hello friends, it's been awhile, hasn't it? Sometimes I think I could be a decent travel blogger and then reality hits when I realize it's been four months and I've [Read more]

Posted in: Friends & Family, Photography, Travel Tagged: Hawaii, Maui, Photography, Road Trip, Travel

I went to Hawaii and all I got was this lousy missile crisis

January 17, 2018 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment
(Jhune Liwanag via The AP)

Aloha, friends. Usually when I travel, I like to think about how I will put into words what I see and do to give a glimpse at how a place looks or feels. And it's never hard [Read more]

Posted in: Random thoughts, Travel Tagged: Hawaii, Maui

My life…in travel books

February 16, 2017 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment
Road to Hana, Maui

Three amazing adventures happened in 2015. I flew to Maui with my best friends, hit up San Francisco with my mom and sisters, and spent a weekend in Eastern Canada with my [Read more]

Posted in: Photography, Travel Tagged: Canada, Maui, Niagara, Ottawa, Photography, San Francisco, Travel

Boat day is the best day

February 2, 2017 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment
Humpback whale watching in Maui

On a sunny day in Lahaina, my bro found us a boat and took us out on the turquoise waters to spy whales, swim with the fishes and imbibe Mai Tais. It was pretty sweet.

Posted in: Photography, Travel Tagged: Food & Drink, Hawaii, Maui, Photography, Travel, Whale Watching

Satisfy my soul

January 25, 2017 by Kirsten Neil 2 Comments
Haleakal, Maui

Do you sometimes think your tech device is getting to know you a little too well? Like freakishly so? This actually came across my mind on the last day of my latest travel [Read more]

Posted in: Photography, Travel Tagged: Hawaii, Maui, Music, Photography, Playlists, Road Trip, Travel

18 terrific travel experiences…so far

August 30, 2016 by Kirsten Neil 1 Comment
Along the coast, Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii

"Travelling -- it leaves you speechless then turns you into a storyteller." When I started this blog way back when, my goal was for it to force me to write more often, become [Read more]

Posted in: Photography, Travel Tagged: Banff, Canada, Cotswolds, Girls Trip, Jasper, Maui, Nova Scotia, Paris, PEI, Road Trip, Rome, Travel, Turks & Caicos, Vancouver

Rhythms and retrograde

April 1, 2015 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment
Island Rhythms sunset cruise from the Pacific Whale Foundation.

You know those days when everything aligns perfectly and you end up living a most amazing moment? And when you're in it, you know it. That happened to us in Maui on the Island [Read more]

Posted in: Friends & Family, Photography, Travel Tagged: Hawaii, Humpback Whales, Island Rhythms, Maui, Pacific Whale Foundation, Reggae, Sunset Cruise, Travel, Whale Watching

Oh Hana — Part II

March 16, 2015 by Kirsten Neil 4 Comments
Old village, Ke'anae Peninsula, Road to Hana, Maui, Hawaii

The Road to Hana, a drive so nice, we did it twice! For this year's journey through the jungle, we decided to hit up different places than we did on our first go-around. Not a [Read more]

Posted in: Friends & Family, Photography, Travel Tagged: Amazing Drives, Bucket List, Hamoa Beach, Hawaii, Maui, Photos, Road to Hana, Road Trip, Travel

Swerving, swerving on that big wave

March 1, 2015 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment
Surfers at Honolua Bay, Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii

On a warm, windy day in Maui, we took a delightful drive along the west coast of the island. The highlight of the day was standing on the cliffs over Honolua Bay watching [Read more]

Posted in: Photography, Travel Tagged: Hawaii, Honolua Bay, Maui, Ocean, Photos, Surfing, Tourism, Travel, United States

Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, go on a beach crawl

February 26, 2015 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment
ABC bag with my ABC beer koozie and my Costco towel.

Forget pub crawls, I'm all about the beach crawl. And who wouldn't be? Less time to get ready, less creepers invading your space, more sun, more fun. After our Little Beach [Read more]

Posted in: Friends & Family, Photography, Travel Tagged: Beach, Big Beach, Hawaii, Kihei, Maui, Photos, Travel, Ukumehame Beach, Wailea Beach

Lost in Little Beach loveliness

February 23, 2015 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment
Sunset at Little Beach, Makena, Maui, Hawaii

Little beach is full of... heart. Yeah, you thought I was going to go there, but I didn't. I say it's full of heart because entering the beach as tourists I expected to be [Read more]

Posted in: Friends & Family, Photography, Travel Tagged: Drum Circle, Hawaii, Hippies, Little Beach, Maui, nude beach, Travel

Maui wowie

February 20, 2015 by Kirsten Neil 2 Comments
Ahihi Kinau Natural Area Reserve, Maui, Hawaii

My friend Denise and her husband Greg love Maui. Like really love it. Like if ever two people needed to pack up everything and move to a tropical island, it's these two. And [Read more]

Posted in: Friends & Family, Photography, Travel Tagged: Adventure, Hawaii, Island, Maui, Surfers, Travel

2011 travel review

January 31, 2012 by Kirsten Neil Leave a Comment

Just finished my 2011 photo album. Last year's highlights included Maui, Banff, Vancouver and Palm [Read more]

Posted in: Books, Photography, Travel Tagged: Banff, Hawaii, Maui, Palm Springs, Photography, Photos, Travel, Vancouver, Western Canada

Journey’s end

December 20, 2011 by Kirsten Neil 1 Comment
One last sunset

After spending two glorious weeks in Maui, it was nice to come home. I was starting to get homesick. My last lunch before leaving the island included the best chicken salad [Read more]

Posted in: Friends & Family, Photography, Travel Tagged: Hana, Hawaii, Island, Lava, Maui, Molokini, Ocean, Paia, Photography, Snorkel, Wedding, Whales
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Top Posts

Scenes from the Sahara and beyond
Christmas in the village
A little taste of Athens
Gimme a petit taste of Tangier
Live fast, have fun, be young in Dublin
Something wicked's lurking in the dark
Smells like spring
Harry Potter Night V: Stay gold boy who lived

INSTAGRAM

Golden sunsets, golden sunrises, wind-whipped dune Golden sunsets, golden sunrises, wind-whipped dunes, gassy camels, desert camps, deep gorges, high mountain peaks, friendly Berbers, an even friendlier tour guide, all contained within a terrain that screams “STUNNING!” around every bend. What more can one ask for on a three-day journey? How can one fit all that in in just three days? 

Hands-down, the biggest highlight on our Moroccan adventure (besides AFCON, but that’s sports) was a journey from Fes to Marrakech via the Sahara Desert.

We found a highly-rated three-day trip from @moroccofabuloustravel via @tripadvisor. I didn’t know Morocco’s beauty could stun even more after our first few days in Fes, Chefchaouen and Tangier, but boy, did it ever. We were left enchanted…

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #morocco🇲🇦 #moroccofabuloustravel
🌴🌴🌴 🌴🌴🌴
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A petit taste of Tangier. 🇲🇦 Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A petit taste of Tangier. 🇲🇦

Tangier was not originally on our agenda for Morocco. But once we saw how pretty Chefchaouen (see previous post) was, and that it was conveniently situated between Tangier and Fes, we altered our plans to visit the coastal city that’s situated on the Strait of Gibraltar. 

We actually didn’t do a heck of a lot in Tangier as we were already spinning from a hectic first few days in Fes. Instead, the city became a place where we could slow down, relax and breathe in the fresh sea air.

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #tangier #morocco🇲🇦 #afcon2025
Chefchaouen, a city painted in blue. One saturated Chefchaouen, a city painted in blue. One saturated in cobalt and azure and cerulean and indigo tones so much so that it’s both stunning and exhilarating at the same time. 🙌🏻💙

We didn’t need to add another place to visit on our already packed Morocco itinerary, but a friend said I needed to visit Chefchaouen. I then looked it up on Insta and I immediately knew we had to fit “The Blue City” into our travels. I think this photo gallery clearly show why.

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #chefchaouen #chefchaouen💙 #morocco🇲🇦
Here’s looking at you, Fes. ♥️🇲🇦 Fes was the firs Here’s looking at you, Fes. ♥️🇲🇦

Fes was the first place we visited in late December/early January on our AFCON adventure. Since the Nigerian football team was stationed mostly in Fes, so were we. 

We didn’t have a ton of time to explore all that Fes has to offer, but what we did do was lovely. We stayed in a couple riads, dined at some great spots, shopped for lots of goodies and, of course, got lost in the medina on a daily basis.

There were so many moments in Fes that reminded us we were exploring a very cool place. 

Read my full recap at
betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #fes #morocco🇲🇦
A Canadian sports-loving gal goes to the Africa Cu A Canadian sports-loving gal goes to the Africa Cup of Nations and insanity ensues. 😱⚽️

AFCON was the main reason we stopped in Morocco before heading to Lagos for winter. A month-long tournament where the best African football players duke it out (sometimes literally) to be crowned the best team on the continent.

Now, when I tell you this tournament is out of control, believe me. We watched it on TV while in Lagos a couple years ago and I was instantly hooked. No one brings drama like Africans. Mix all that drama with sports… Well, as the ladies say on tv here, “Blood of Jesus!” 😉

The players, the refs, the coaches, the fans, they all go freaking nuts at this tournament. So I assumed I knew what I was getting into. Nope. It was so much more. 

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #afcon #afcon2025 #totalenergiesafcon2025
Instagram post 18082803442950567 Instagram post 18082803442950567
This is it. Our last day in Morocco. We leave at 1 This is it. Our last day in Morocco. We leave at 1:00 am to Lagos and all the craziness that awaits us there. 

But Morocco, oh Morocco. We had the best time here. We met so many amazing people who constantly put smiles on our faces. And of course there was a scam or two thrown in. But they were small and didn’t even cause a blip in our journey. 

We both were excited to come here to watch the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). I had watched it for the first time a couple years ago on TV and I was a goner. The games are fun, the drama is completely over-dramatic African-style (iykyk), and the fans are a sight to behold. 

What we didn’t expect was to be completely blown away by Morocco’s medinas and landscapes. Breathtaking, chaotic, saturated, aromatic, kind, shouty, welcoming are just a few words to describe our experience here.

Also, being with an African while touring an African country… there’s nothing like it. People everywhere are constantly high-fiving Chuck and asking, “Nigeria?” And as soon as he says yes, my God, do the Moroccans go nuts. They truly love the Naija people. And the feeling is mutual. 🇳🇬🤝🇲🇦

I think my biggest highlights were our trip to the desert (camel rides, fancy tents and atvs!) and of course the main reason we came: to attend AFCON. Watching the @ng_supereagles kick-ass has been a delight. Go Osimhen! Go Lookman! Bring home the win! 🏆 

We attended four matches (one group, two knockouts, one quarter-final) and were lucky to see Nigeria play three of them. The last match we attended was a quarterfinal rout against Algeria. They dominated them to embarrassing levels. Not one shot on goal for the opponents. They are exciting to watch as a team. Algerians were so mad after the game they tried to fight the refs and Nigerian players. As Chuck said, “they got bad belly.” 😂 

Anyways, that was Morocco for me/us. If you are ever thinking about visiting, please reach out with questions. 😊

Now I’m off to pick up my luggage at the Casablanca airport that arrived 10 days late. 😂 

More to come when I get more of my thoughts about this place together. 

xoxo Morocco ♥️🇲🇦
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #morocco #morocco🇲🇦 #africatravel
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Golden sunsets, golden sunrises, wind-whipped dune Golden sunsets, golden sunrises, wind-whipped dunes, gassy camels, desert camps, deep gorges, high mountain peaks, friendly Berbers, an even friendlier tour guide, all contained within a terrain that screams “STUNNING!” around every bend. What more can one ask for on a three-day journey? How can one fit all that in in just three days? 

Hands-down, the biggest highlight on our Moroccan adventure (besides AFCON, but that’s sports) was a journey from Fes to Marrakech via the Sahara Desert.

We found a highly-rated three-day trip from @moroccofabuloustravel via @tripadvisor. I didn’t know Morocco’s beauty could stun even more after our first few days in Fes, Chefchaouen and Tangier, but boy, did it ever. We were left enchanted…

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #morocco🇲🇦 #moroccofabuloustravel
🌴🌴🌴 🌴🌴🌴
Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A petit taste of Tangier. 🇲🇦 Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! A petit taste of Tangier. 🇲🇦

Tangier was not originally on our agenda for Morocco. But once we saw how pretty Chefchaouen (see previous post) was, and that it was conveniently situated between Tangier and Fes, we altered our plans to visit the coastal city that’s situated on the Strait of Gibraltar. 

We actually didn’t do a heck of a lot in Tangier as we were already spinning from a hectic first few days in Fes. Instead, the city became a place where we could slow down, relax and breathe in the fresh sea air.

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #tangier #morocco🇲🇦 #afcon2025
Chefchaouen, a city painted in blue. One saturated Chefchaouen, a city painted in blue. One saturated in cobalt and azure and cerulean and indigo tones so much so that it’s both stunning and exhilarating at the same time. 🙌🏻💙

We didn’t need to add another place to visit on our already packed Morocco itinerary, but a friend said I needed to visit Chefchaouen. I then looked it up on Insta and I immediately knew we had to fit “The Blue City” into our travels. I think this photo gallery clearly show why.

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #chefchaouen #chefchaouen💙 #morocco🇲🇦
Here’s looking at you, Fes. ♥️🇲🇦 Fes was the firs Here’s looking at you, Fes. ♥️🇲🇦

Fes was the first place we visited in late December/early January on our AFCON adventure. Since the Nigerian football team was stationed mostly in Fes, so were we. 

We didn’t have a ton of time to explore all that Fes has to offer, but what we did do was lovely. We stayed in a couple riads, dined at some great spots, shopped for lots of goodies and, of course, got lost in the medina on a daily basis.

There were so many moments in Fes that reminded us we were exploring a very cool place. 

Read my full recap at
betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #fes #morocco🇲🇦
A Canadian sports-loving gal goes to the Africa Cu A Canadian sports-loving gal goes to the Africa Cup of Nations and insanity ensues. 😱⚽️

AFCON was the main reason we stopped in Morocco before heading to Lagos for winter. A month-long tournament where the best African football players duke it out (sometimes literally) to be crowned the best team on the continent.

Now, when I tell you this tournament is out of control, believe me. We watched it on TV while in Lagos a couple years ago and I was instantly hooked. No one brings drama like Africans. Mix all that drama with sports… Well, as the ladies say on tv here, “Blood of Jesus!” 😉

The players, the refs, the coaches, the fans, they all go freaking nuts at this tournament. So I assumed I knew what I was getting into. Nope. It was so much more. 

Read my full recap at betweenbrushstrokes.com
(link in profile)
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #afcon #afcon2025 #totalenergiesafcon2025
Instagram post 18082803442950567 Instagram post 18082803442950567
This is it. Our last day in Morocco. We leave at 1 This is it. Our last day in Morocco. We leave at 1:00 am to Lagos and all the craziness that awaits us there. 

But Morocco, oh Morocco. We had the best time here. We met so many amazing people who constantly put smiles on our faces. And of course there was a scam or two thrown in. But they were small and didn’t even cause a blip in our journey. 

We both were excited to come here to watch the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). I had watched it for the first time a couple years ago on TV and I was a goner. The games are fun, the drama is completely over-dramatic African-style (iykyk), and the fans are a sight to behold. 

What we didn’t expect was to be completely blown away by Morocco’s medinas and landscapes. Breathtaking, chaotic, saturated, aromatic, kind, shouty, welcoming are just a few words to describe our experience here.

Also, being with an African while touring an African country… there’s nothing like it. People everywhere are constantly high-fiving Chuck and asking, “Nigeria?” And as soon as he says yes, my God, do the Moroccans go nuts. They truly love the Naija people. And the feeling is mutual. 🇳🇬🤝🇲🇦

I think my biggest highlights were our trip to the desert (camel rides, fancy tents and atvs!) and of course the main reason we came: to attend AFCON. Watching the @ng_supereagles kick-ass has been a delight. Go Osimhen! Go Lookman! Bring home the win! 🏆 

We attended four matches (one group, two knockouts, one quarter-final) and were lucky to see Nigeria play three of them. The last match we attended was a quarterfinal rout against Algeria. They dominated them to embarrassing levels. Not one shot on goal for the opponents. They are exciting to watch as a team. Algerians were so mad after the game they tried to fight the refs and Nigerian players. As Chuck said, “they got bad belly.” 😂 

Anyways, that was Morocco for me/us. If you are ever thinking about visiting, please reach out with questions. 😊

Now I’m off to pick up my luggage at the Casablanca airport that arrived 10 days late. 😂 

More to come when I get more of my thoughts about this place together. 

xoxo Morocco ♥️🇲🇦
—
#ckvacays #kirstentravels #morocco #morocco🇲🇦 #africatravel
Follow on Instagram

Top Posts

Scenes from the Sahara and beyond
Christmas in the village
A little taste of Athens
Gimme a petit taste of Tangier
Live fast, have fun, be young in Dublin
Something wicked's lurking in the dark
Smells like spring
Harry Potter Night V: Stay gold boy who lived

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